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The PM’s tribute, which included modern and unsung heroes, was contained in his address during #talk2raila live web TV session.
#TALK TO RAILA: LIVE STREAMING
DATE: Thursday 18 October 2012
TOPIC: Remembering Kenya’s Heroes and Heroines
INTRODUCTION
Good morning and welcome to my live TV studio, once again.
As we continue with this series of online dialogue, I would like us today to
remember and celebrate our national heroes and heroines.
I sent out a message at the start of the week inviting
you to reflect on our heroes and heroines because, as you are aware, we shall this Saturday mark the Second Heroes’ Day
– Mashujaa Day. This national day replaced what we used to be Kenyatta Day.
From Kenyatta Day to Mashujaa Day Our new Constitution
gives us three national days. These are Madaraka Day, Mashujaa Day and
Jamuhuri.
We used to have Kenyatta Day. This had been named after
the founding father and President of our Republic, the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, to remind us of 20 October 1952,
when Mzee Kenyatta was arrested by the colonial authorities. He was arrested together other nationalist leaders,
for their role in the struggle to Independence and for the return of the stolen lands.
Over the years, we have therefore rightly honoured Mzee Kenyatta.
To a lesser extent, we have also honoured other leaders who participated in the
freedom struggle. But when we sat at the Bomas of Kenya to dialogue on the new
Constitution, it was felt that emphasis on Mzee and a few political leaders
tended to ignore or downplay the role of other Kenyan heroes.
Kenya has produced many heroes, outside the area of political
leadership and government. It is important that we remember and celebrate such
leaders, too. These are our
unsung heroes.
Our Unsung Heroes and Heroines
In sports, for example, Kenya has produced global champions.
These are world-beaters. We are also respected allover the world for our champions
in environmental conservation. Kenyans have also bagged top awards in research,
science and technology.
We are respected in literature, in visual arts and in performing
arts. We are a continental powerhouse in education and indeed in academia and
scholarship. Our champions in the disciplined forces have seen our country
contribute soldiers, as well as policemen and policewomen to peacekeeping
missions allover the world.
With our Heroes Day only two days away, I naturally want
us to reflect in a special way on the heroes of our freedom. However, I wish to
begin by celebrating our less sung heroes and heroines.
Our teachers and other professionals, our farmers,
factory workers and other industrious people out there are some of our unsung
heroes.
Every Kenyan who labours hard for his or her upkeep and contributes
to the national tax kitty is a hero. As you know, we live in times when people
want to get rich quickly.
While there are those who want to strike a crooked deal so
as to become rich overnight, many work for an honest income. Besides, they pay
taxes on these earnings. These are our true heroes and heroines.
Our soldiers are just now out there in Somalia, after a
full year of national duty, under the OPERATION LINDA NCHI mission. These
patriots who have put their lives on the line so that we may be safe are true
national heroes. I want to remember them and their families in a very special
way, ahead of this year’s Mashujaa Day.
We remember the families of our soldiers who have fallen in
the line of duty. May God console you in your loss and give you the strength to
soldier on in life. Please take solace in the knowledge that your loved ones
gave their lives for their country. They are the true heroes we shall celebrate
on Saturday. We will treasure them in our hearts and memory. May their souls
rest in eternal peace.
Some Outstanding Individuals
It is not always easy to single out individuals for
special mention when many have done so much for our country. I however still
wish to recognize a few persons who have placed us on the global map for their
outstanding contribution to humanity; for Kenyans are truly innovative and
hardworking. It is the leaders who have often let them down.
WANGARI MATHAI: A few days ago, we marked the first
anniversary of the passing on of Prof. Wangari Maathai. She was a gallant
soldier for truth, justice and good governance. She had an unparalleled passion
for the environment. She was a rare champion who brought honour and glory to
our nation, even when we mistreated her and hurt her both physically and
psychologically.
MIRIAM WERE: Here is another woman who has done Kenya
proud. She has made outstanding contribution to chemistry, biology and to
medicine. She has been an
inspiration in the fight against HIV and Aids on the
global circuit.
NGUGI WA THIONGO leads a whole team of writers who have
placed Kenya on the global map of creative writing and ideas. Others are people like Meja Mwangi, Mwangi Ruheni,
Mama Grace Ogot, Francis Imbuga, Kimani wa Njogu and many others.
We have had scholars like the late Prof. Simeon Ominde, Prof.
Bethwell Alan Ogot, the late Prof. T. R. Odhiambo, the late Prof. Atieno
Odhiambo, Prof. Godfrey Muriuki, the late Prof. Gideon Saulo Were, Prof. Ali
Mazrui, Prof. Calestous Juma, all who have placed Kenya firmly on the international
map of scholarship.
Sports heroes
Wilson Kiprugut brought us the first medal from the Tokyo
Olympics in 1964; Naphtali Temu, Kipchoge Keino and Amos Biwott brought gold
medals from Mexico in 1968. In that year, Daniel Rudisha (father to David
Rudisha), Munyoro Nyamau, Naphtali Temu and Charles Asati brought Kenya silver
in the men’s 4 by 400 metres relay. In 1972, Asati and Nyamau were joined by
Robert Ouko and Julius Sang, to bring home gold in the men’s 4 by 400 metres
relay in Munich.
KIP KEINO has remained faithful to athletics from the 1960s
and ‘70s when he was an international star; other stars of that age were boxers
like Philip Waruinge, Samuel Mburu, Dick Tiger Murunga. Then we have the present
day heroes and heroines – Ezekiel Kemboi, David Rudisha, Pamela Jelimo, Janeth
Jepkosgey, Vivian Cheruiyot and many others.
I was recently privileged to be at the London Olympics, on
the day that our David Rudisha won the gold medal in the 800 metres race. David
broke the world record in this race. This was also the only record broken in
athletics at the Olympics this year. David, we are truly proud of you. You are
a wonderful role model to younger Kenyans.
Other sportspeople are former football stars like Joe Kadenge,
Livingston Madegwa, Chege Ouma, John Bobby Ogolla, Dr. JJ Masiga, Mahmoud
Abbas, Jonathan Niva, from the earlier generations and Victor Mugubi, Dennis
Oliech, Macdonald Mariga in the present day. Our leading national teams have
previously done us proud in football, volleyball, rugby and in other sports.
These people are our champions and ambassadors.
Our conservationists
I have mentioned Prof. Wangari Maathai. But we also have
people who work in our game parks and animal reserves. Some of these people put
their lives at great risk. They grapple with poachers and with other dangers, to
protect our wildlife. They are our true champions and heroes.
We recall Michael Werikhe, who walked 500 kilometres in 1982,
to create awareness on the need to save the rhino. There are many others I know
that there are very many other national heroes. But I mention the few whom I
have recognized by name or vocation, just to show that to be a national hero,
you do not have to be in politics.
We have our nurses and other people in medicare; there are
philanthropists who look after destitutes and homeless children; We have people
who take care of the aged; We have caring police officers; We have night guards
who place their lives at risk to protect life and property; There are many
Kenyans of goodwill – caring drivers on our roads, writers and artists, many
people who are rarely mentioned.
Heroes in the Liberation Struggle
Right from the 1920s, Kenyans have fought for a free fair
and just society. We cannot get tired of saying that the Kenyan dream is best
expressed in our national anthem. We want to be a society in which justice is
every citizen’s shield and defender; a country in which people dwell in unity,
peace and liberty. We want everybody to have an honest source of income so that
the fruit of our labour can fill everyone with true thanks giving to God and to
the rest of our society.
Early Heroes & Heroines
People like Waiyaki wa Hinga, Muthoni Nyanjiru, Joseph Kangethe,
Harry Thuku, James Beuttah and Jesse Kariuki are among our early heroes in the
strugle for liberation. Between 1926 and 1945, they fought for land rights and for
equal rights.
Independence Heroes
A lot of our heroes of freedom and independence
have continued to be steadily forgotten. They include people like Ambrose
Ofafa, Walter Mbotela, Makham Singh, Alibhai Mullah Jevanjee, Samuel Muindi
Mbingu, Manillal Desai, among others. These people set the pace for the liberation
struggle.
Then we have the freedom fighters who eventually brought
independence. There was of course Mzee Kenyatta and the Lancaster House
Generation. These are people we remember for bringing home the
Independence
Constitution and therefore independence.
Apart from Mzee Kenyatta, other heroes were people like the
late Achieng Oneko, Kungu Karumba, Fred Kubai, Bildad Kagia and Paul Ngei and
Mzee Gitu Kahengeri who is with us. There were heroes like Dedan Kimathi, James
Mathenge, and other heroes of freedom.
Unfortunately some of these heroes turned their faces against
the just society that Kenya had fought for. That was why Jaramogi Oginga Odinga
wrote the book NOT YET UHURU. Nonetheless we remember today Tom Mboya, James
Gichuru, Mzee Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, Jean Marie Seroney, Martin Shikuku,
Mzee John Keen, Justus Ole Tipis, Masinde Muliro, Ronald Ngala and a whole generation
that will go down in our history as the Lancaster House Generation. The work
they started is far from being realized.
As I have said, this is largely because some of them only
seemed to have been after the privileges that the colonialists enjoyed. When
independence came they, therefore, became Kenya’s new problem. That is why we talk
of several phases in the liberation struggle. After struggling against the
colonialists, we have had to struggle against some of our own brothers and
sisters, who have not cherished a just, free and fair society. It has been a
tough struggle in which we have lost some of our heroes through political assassinations.
For example:
PIO DA GAMA PINTO: Pio da Gama Pinto was a passionate
nationalist and freedom fighter. The colonial government detained him for his
nationalist activities. When independence came, he saw quite early on that the
country was going in the wrong direction. He lost faith in the new Government
soon after independence. He started working for a better united and free Kenya.
For this, he was assassinated outside his house in Nairobi on the morning of 24
February 1965. We had not even been independent for two years.
CLEMENT ARGWINGS KHODEK: Kodhek died on 29 January, 1969
along Nairobi’s Hurlingham Road (now Argwings Khodek Road). The circumstances
of his death suggested that it was political. He was punished for refusing to
replace Jaramogi as Vice President.
TOM MBOYA : After working very hard for forces that did
not wish to see Kenya move ahead, Mboya fell out with the same forces. On 5
July, 1969, hardly six months after the elimination of Kodhek, Tom Mboya was
assassinated in Nairobi.
RONALD GIDEON NGALA: Ronald Ngala was the leader of the
Official Opposition Party Kadu at Independence. He led Kadu in crossing the
floor in 1965. In 1972, he died in suspicious circumstances, in the Kenyatta
succession struggles.
JOSIAH MWANGI KARIUKI (JM): JM Kariuki was the foremost
voice for a just, free and fair society, between 1969 and 1975. Very few could
stand up to the unfeeling government that Kenya had at this time. He
was brutally killed on 02 March for championing the rights of the poor. His
body was left in Ngong forest for hyenas to eat.
TITUS ADUNGOSI: Titus Adungosi was a brave student leader
at the University of Nairobi in the 1980s. He was arrested following the
disturbances of 1982. I was with him at Muthangari Police Station and later at
Kamiti Maximum Security Prison. Titus was badly beaten up by the Kenya Police.
He kept vomiting blood. He eventually succumbed to the effect of the beating
and died in prison. Young Titus
died because of fighting for a better Kenya.
ROBERT OUKO: Dr. Ouko worked closely with the Kanu
government, in which he was an insider. When he fell out with the centre, he
was killed in February 1990.
BISHOP ALEXANDER KIPSANG MUGE: Biship Muge died in a
suscpicious road accident on 14 August 1990, after a senior member of the
government told him that he would die that day, if he visited Busia town to
fight for Kenyans’ rights. Muge went to Busia and died as he had been promised
he would die.
MASINDE MULIRO : On 4 August, 1992, a key member of the
Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD) party, Masinde Muliro, collapsed
at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport after returning from a trip to
London. He died shortly after. An official post-mortem examination was never
conducted. His death gave the ruling party greater influence in western Kenya.
FR. JOHN ANTHONY KAISER: In 2002 a Roman Catholic priest, John Anthony
Kaiser, was found dead in Morendat, Rift Valley. Fr. Kaiser was shot in the
back of the head with a shotgun. He was fighting for the rights of the girl
child.
CRISPIN ODHIAMBO MBAI: In September 2003, a Constitution
of Kenya Review Commission delegate, Dr Crispin Mbai, was killed in his Woodley
home in Nairobi. He had resisted attempts by people to dilute the chapter of
devolution in the new Constitution that Kenyans were making.
MELITUS WERE MUGABE: At the start of 2008, a disturbing
pattern began to emerge after the fractious 2007 elections. Two ODM MPs were killed
just months after their election to pave way for byelections.
Melitus Mugabe Were was the first to be killed in
February 2008.
DAVID KIMUTAI: The same month, February 2008, another
lawmaker, David Kimutai of ODM, was killed in Eldoret. Government officials
were quick to say this killing was connected to an illicit love triangle.
OSCAR KAMAU KINGARA AND JOHN PAUL OULO: These two Kenyan
human rights activists were assassinated on a busy Nairobi street.
Detained Heroes
Then we have heroes who have been detained for our freedom.
JARAMOGI OGINGA ODINGA: Jaramogi was arrested in 1969 and
detained for two years for advocating for a just free and fair society.
ELIJAH MASINDE WA NAMEME: Masinde was first detained in
1961 for fighting colonialism. He was released after 15 years. The independence government returned him to prison for asking for a better
country.
JOSEPH MARTIN SHIKUKU OYONDI: Martin Shikuku was detained
from 1975 to 1978, for being vocal against bad governance. His detention was also
a form of punishment for speaking out against the
assassination of JM Kariuki.
JEAN-MARIE SERONEY: Seroney was detained with Shikuku for
supporting Shikuku’s statement in Parliament that Kanu was dead. The real
reason was to silence him for speaking out
against misrule.
NGUGI WA THIONG’O: Ngugi wa Thiong’o was detained for
speaking for the ordinary through his writings and his plays. Even after he was
freed, he was denied a job. He had to go into exile,
uprooted from the country and people he loves so much.
GEORGE ANYONA: George Anyona was detained from 1977 to
1978 for being vocal in Parliament. He was again detained 1982 for attempting
to form a political party with Jaramogi. He was again arrested while enjoying a
social moment with his friends Njeru Gathangu and Edward Oyugi. They were falsely
charged with treason and put away. Their sin was that they were found
discussing the merits of multiparty democracy.
RAILA AMOLO ODINGA: Even though there was no evidence to link me to the 1982
coup attempt against the Kanu government, I was arrested and charged with
treason. The charges were later dropped. But I was then detained for close to
six years, without trial. The same year, 1988, I was detained for another year,
for asking for a free and fair society. I was released in 1989 but arrested
again on 5 July 1990, together with former Cabinet ministers Kenneth Matiba,
Charles Rubia and their lawyer John Khaminwa. I was forced to flee the country
after my release on 21 June 1991, after I learnt of
a sinister plot against me.
KENNETH MATIBA AND CHARLES RUBIA: Matiba was detained
without trial, in 1990, together with Charles Rubia. They were jailed for their
repeated calls for the restoration of multi-party democracy. While in prison,
Matiba suffered a massive stroke. Life has never been the same for him and his
family again. Charles
Rubia was also maimed and suffered poor health, which he
has not recovered from, to date.
KOIGI WAMWERE: Koigi Wamwere has been detained twice without
trial, by both Presidents Kenyatta and Moi. He later fled into exile, to escape
unending persecution.
OTIENO MAK' ONYANGO: Otieno Mak' Onyango was unlawfully
detained for five years after the abortive coup of 1982.
JOHN KHAMINWA: Lawyer John Khaminwa was detained without
trial when he sought to have access to his clients. Following Khaminwa's
arrest, two other prominent lawyers, Paul Muite and Gibson Kamau Kuria, went
into hiding, fearing detention or even, they said, extra-judicial execution.
ALMIN MAZRUI: Playwright and scholar Alamin Mazrui was
among scholars who were detained because of their conscience. In this, he rode
in the same boat with Kamoji Wachira, Katama Mkangi, Shadrack Gutto, Kimani
Gecau, Micere Mugo, Ngugi wa Mirii, Oki Ooko Ombaka and a wide raft of
University of Nairobi Students.
OTHER POLITICAL PRISIONERS: From 29 July 1982 Willy
Mutunga was held for about two months after the Government said
"seditious” leaflets were found in his house. Mukaru Ng’ang’a, and Maina
wa Kinyatti were detained for allegedly being in possession of seditious
material. There were many other political prisoners held under trumped up
charges. Gitobu Imanyara, Mirugi Kariuki,
Ibrahim Mohammed, Gacheche wa Miano, Wanyiri Kihoro, Wafula
Buke, Njeru Kathangu, Abuya Abuya, and Maina wa Kinyatti, Onyango Paddy among
others.
CONCLUSION: Kenya has the potential to be the best place
to live in the world. However, we have four key enemies we must overcome. Three
of these are poverty, ignorance and
disease. But the fourth enemy is even more lethal. This
is bad governance. Bad governance has stalled the potential of our heroes and
heroines to fully bring out the best in them.
We must overcome bad governance.
Today, I salute those who have defied the odds to bring our
country on the global map in their fields, despite the odds. I also salute
those who have suffered or even died
so that we can be a better country. I wish you a happy
Heroes’ Day – A Happy Mashujaa Day.
Raila Amolo Odinga
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