 Tiras Waiyaki became involved in nationalist politics in the 1950s and during the Kenyan Emergency he was detained in 1954.Wambui claimed that this impoverished his family and interrupted his children’s education, but his detention was only for four months followed by his reinstatement, after which he cooperated with the Kenyan colonial administration.Although Wambui states he also covertly assisted Mau Mau, this was in minor ways which were outweighed by his pro-colonial actions.