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I would like to mention one thing about my biography of Tom Mboya. The subtitle, 'The Man Kenya Wanted To Forget', was not my doing. It was imposed on the book by the publisher without my knowledge or consent. I have always disliked it, as it completely misrepresents my view of the subject. I believe that Tom Mboya was an inspirational leader who played a role of the utmost importance in Kenya's political history. I also believe that just such a view of him and the part he played has always been widely shared among the people of Kenya.
David Goldsworthy writer of the groundbreaking Mboya biography; Tom Mboya: The Man Kenya Wanted To Forget
History has knack of constantly repeating itself. When the campaign for the General elections of 1963 was going on there was no tribalism in sight and neither was there any kitchen cabinet in place.
In fact one famous photograph shows Tom Mboya in a tight embrace with Mwai Kibaki jumping up and down in sheer ecstasy as Johnstone Kamau (Mzee Kenyatta) raises his hands in a victory salute in the background. The caption says something about election results of that year being announced—which Kanu won.
But the minute Johnstone Kamau received the instruments of power and disappeared deep within State House things started changing very fast. Characters literally came out of the woodwork. Not even JM Kariuki could survive long as Johnstome Kamau's private secretary.
Soon blood oaths were being taken. Including the famous one to the effect that the leadership of Kenya would never cross the Chania River. Meaning that the issue was not whether Kenya would forever have presidents from the Kikuyu tribe, but precautions were now being made to ensure that the presidency remained in Kiambu.
Meanwhile the patriots and people who had risked so much in fighting for the impendence of Kenya were busy trying to stay alive. Characters like Tom Mboya and JM Kariuki and Kungu Karumba. They all of course lost their battle to stay alive. The question we must ask ourselves today is why????
Fast-forward to 2002. When the campaigns were going on there was no tribalism in sight nor was there a kitchen cabinet…
But the minute Johnstone Kamau received the instruments of power and disappeared deep within State House things started changing very fast…
We all know the story…
Was tribalism really the issue or just an excuse? Actually it was an excuse as it still is today where it is used only for political purposes. What was happening was that the people surrounding Johnstone Kamau were very busy making themselves fabulously rich. The land which had triggered off the violence that was later incorporated into the freedom struggle was not handed back to its' rightful owners instead it changed hands and came under the control of a new colonial master who was worse than the departed white one because this one was more ruthless and periodically murdered opponents and cut off their private parts in he process. This colonial master had a black skin and still rules today oblivious of the true feelings and plight of the common man.
The Kenyatta-Mboya era was the time when land-grabbing Kenya-style was perfected. You just simply fence off a piece of prime land and if anybody asks questions you mention the president's name and that is the end of the story.
Mboya saw all this happening and no doubt he had a strategy of what he was going to do next (he always had one). That mind that had brought the powerful colonial government to its' knees would surely have no problem with the government of Johnstone Kamau. Alas, it was not to be.
Mboya was felled before the general elections expected later that year (1969) and there are those analysts who believe that this timing was no accident. It was feared that Mboya would either challenge Kenyatta for the presidency or revive his own political party to stand against Kanu.
To Be Continued Tomorrow
The photographs Kumekucha feared to publish.
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TJ's memory couldn't have been more nostalgic given the present poltical hopelessness. He lived ahead of his time. True, Uhuru was coming but very few saw the opportunity to hasten the movement.
ReplyDeleteMboya was a schemer per exellence and his shining light had to be permenently extinguished by those who self-exiled themselves, cohabited with whites pretending to fight them at the same time while cutting deal and eventually bequethed power. That is how sad our history is and to pretend otherwise is t live a lie. The present regime is a first born offspring of that very devilish generation of grabbers.
TJ's murder was no passing cloud. His killers turned to oathing to bind them together in the face of anticipated revolt. That blood oathing is the genesis of propaganda against some sections of Kenyan nation that most of your readers uncritically inherited albeit fenced with elite but intellectually hollow bigotry and stereotypes.
TJ's legacy not only shames the old guards but our generation fair no better. Bradding fellow Kenyans lapdogs and only seeing speck in their eyes while conviniently ignoring the towering tree in yours is the height of unschooled dishonesty. Kenyans bandy all sorts of lies to back their horse. Sample this: people chatting with President's doctor about the head of state's health and others privy to cabinet meeting minutes and attendance.
TJ was no graduate. But do you think any present resident of our campuses can hold a candle to his ideals almost 40 years later? I can bet my last penny that there is none. Visit the university and see the rot that is TRIBAL student leadership. I couldn't beliive it when a student told a female lecturer not to talk to hi like she did because it in his culture its a taboo. You get my drift of what populates our highest institution of learning.
The village genius tops Ndethia primary, joins neighbouring Ndethia Secondary and makes it to uni where expects all and sundry to bow before the Kenyan Stephen Hawkins. Meanwhile he remains oblivious of teh fact that other tribes exist in Kenya with their number as fellow students. Such a student has no regars for Prof Okombo because he us uncut, ala kihii. Not stroking tribal emotions but an honest audit of our motherland. This guy graduates and finds his way to Ohio state and you meet him in this blog, what do you expect?
You gues right. We are no different from the scoundrels who are our politicians. The Kenyan soul died with TJs and JMs of this world and we are merely drifting with no ideological footing to chat any meaningful path to prosperity. TJ must have turned number without count in his grave. May his bones RIP and God bless Kenya.
colleage of mine when a student in the
Well detailed. Just to take up back a bit, it was during this time that Margaret Kenyatta owned large tracts of land in the Rift Valley, Nairobi, from Kasarani (read after EABL fence) to Juja and slightly past the current boundary of Nairobi, to where JKUCAT stands was owned by one man or a brother or a brother-in-law.
ReplyDeleteFine Chris, the economy was doing well. It was at that time that Kenya's economy stood well ahead of Singapore, Malaysia, and Korea (UN, 1971). Then, TJ and Gikonyo Kiano were spearheading the airlifts to the States. Tens of bright people at that moment enjoyed those trips abroad, but why was there the big difference that stayed out of the politics we see nowadays.
Then, in a flash, TRIBALISM crept in with the Limuru Conference. TJ in his own vision (I believe most leaders now have dim ones) underlined 'President will be above the law' and even tried to have the 8 VPs and who was the victim of the two lines. Anyway, it is also at the same that 'there shall be no other political party' line was created.
First DoubleO and his KPU cast left the scene, and then TJ paid with dear life. There has been no peace in the political scene, taking people back to the genesis of problems in this dear country.
Has the Kenyan economy been the same since? NO. We shall wait for another long period of time to see that recovery realised.
NB: Just a clarification, to Taabu, and it is not personal here, in 2004, there was a talk of COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILTY IN THE CABINET after Otieno Kajwang, Orwa Ojode, Oburu Odinga and Reuben Ndolo and a few others addressed a press conference at parliament building alleging that the cabinet had passed something, and the Mt Kenya coterie of legislators were blocking its implementation. If you are reacting to the same, I would like to make it clear.
It was at this time, that Maina Kamanda started the talk of Collective Responsibility in the Cabinet. I am not privy to that info and it was only in public domain that we came to know about it.
Taabu, this one is from Spring Board Information website, and I have it verbatim
ReplyDelete…The fall-out between Kibaki and Raila became apparent in mid-2005. Raila, the Minister for Roads at the time, jointly with a number of ministers and NARC MPs, publicly campaigned against a draft Constitution crafted by the government to replace one agreed on at an all-inclusive conference. This was in defiance to the “collective responsibility” all cabinet members oath to. The government was defeated in the ensuing Referendum. President Kibaki responded by sacking all ministers opposed to the document. Raila, Kalonzo, Balala, Anyang Nyong’o, Ochillo Ayacko and Jebii Kilimo were among those sent parking. This marked a major split in the NARC ranks.
The sacking, it would appear, apparently unveiled Raila’s and Kalonzo’s presidential ambitions. In fact, the sacked group transformed their makeshift alliance, ODM, (in apparent reference to the Orange symbol used in the Referendum to signify those opposed to the draft constitution) into a political party they want to dislodge NARC or its sister creation, NARC Kenya.
Perhaps the key question is, will Raila make it? “If Kibaki made it, Raila can,” says Chege. “However, if you look at it realistically, Raila is hard-placed, because there is an undercurrent that is uncomfortable with him as a president.” The analyst says Raila is perceived a militant with the potential of a dictator. “His ability to amass fanatical support among his Luo people has left him seen as a tribalist of the highest order.”
Those are not my words
Let us not trivialise this one. The issue is not whether Raila is a tribalist or not----I have my opinion about that just as everybody else has his. Let us not debate something not debatable.
ReplyDeleteI have steadfastly refused to discuss dead people especially if all I can say about those people is unflattering stuff. But surely, with all due respect for Tom Mboya, who is he? Or rather who was he? Please dont yell at me--Make no mistake I am not belittling his contribution in the independence struggle, no. What I am asking here is a simple explanation of how Tom Mboya was greater than Jomo Kenyatta, Oginga Odinga,Paul Ngei, Kungu Karumba,Bildad Kaggia, Achieng Oneko. Or if it is about assasination, how he was greater than Pio Gama Pinto, John Robert Ouko,JM Kariuki or Bishop Alexander Muge? We have been accused of trying to 'discriminate against some sections of society' which basically means refusing to support a certain presidential candidate but I hope this time round I will not be called names for that coz the list I have given here is as multisectoral as they come. I am just wondering--Why all the fuss about Mboya, as in what was so special with him?
Now Kenyatta was a mistake and everyone knows it. But people dont u think even someone like Oginga Odinga was more honest and selfless than Tom Mboya? I mean let truth be told that Mboya never died fighting for any one. There were ugly high stake-power games where the protagonist was him and him alone, dont drag the name of Kenya in his selfish machinations. Both him and Kenyatta were not supposed to get any power in the first place.
That brings me to the issue raised here of power having been bequethed to Kenyatta after having dined with the Britons. My question is which African leader do u honestly think got into power without cutting deals with these guys. My answer is that it was only Patrice Lumumba and that explains why the sun set for him so early in the day. The History I learnt at Ndethia Primary skul and Ndethia Secondary skull (Apparently i never got to go to Ohio state Uni coz I was born in the post Tom Mboya era and so i never benefitted from those airlifts) that Kwame Nkurumah, Mwalimu Nyerere, Robert Mugabe, Jomo Kenyatta and basically every other independent presidents and ministers were 'highly educated Africans'. In my opinion, all these guys were stooges answerable to the british. You just need to ask yourself why all of them were talking about 'reconciliation' and 'inter-racial harmony'immediately after independence. Just like today, we were just some little pawns taken advantage of.
In have just gone through the Kenyan papers on the net and what a sad week to have those articles in a newspaper. A week that TJ Mboya died and Barrak Muluka like Chris have given it a shot.
ReplyDeleteStart with Friday's Standard where Kipkoech Tanui went at lengths to talk about the tribal stereotyping to balkanisation by Mutula Kilonzo (of all the people) and Tom Mboya and Raila Odinga’s remarks last weekend. Barrack Muluka's in today's Standard and the Nation and many more, including Gumo saying that ODM has been reduced to a tribal party. I humbly request all who make their raw decisions about some issues to read the Mutula commentary.
Not blowing my trumpet, I will never at all, but Mutula, despite his high ranking position within ODM has just highlighted some things that made me go to bed with a heavy heart yesterday. I am sloshed. I believe today I will sleep comfortably! To all, I regret overreaction.
I am sorry for diverting from the story buit i have some very chilling information for you Kumekucha. I have information of a plot that has been hatched by a key figure in the ODM presidential race. Their plan is ro eliminate you and then blame it on the government to gain political mileage. Please be carefull as this threat is real.
ReplyDeleteYou wrote the story about your security threat in this blog earlier and I want to inform you that as a reader I beleive I cannot withhold such information from you. Please Watch your movements as these people are dangerous. You may even go underground as these guys have been trailing you waiting or the signal from their boss.
Ochii,
ReplyDeleteWe have just had a spat about rumour mongering on this site. This is the part of the rumour-mongering s*** that we are attacking each other over.
Which presidential candidate is so daft to discuss a plot with you and at what level? Why Chris? What wrong has he done?
This is a serious threat which Chris should not take lightly and the best way to do that is to contact him through a personal mail.
As for you, how do you know they were talking about Chris, if for any reason your intelligence has passed the truth? Do you know his second name and where are they trailing him? Nairobi, Malindi, Kisumu or where?
Why an ODM presidential candidate? And what has Chris done to him/her at a personal level. I think Chris has been neutral.
While I may thank you for that, please keep your advice, contact Chris through his personal email and avoid rumour-mongering. If Chris were to report to the police (which he is required of such information) would you be able to back up his story? Then why publicise it.
Dear Chris, with all due respect to Tom Mboya's tribute post, I wish to correct an impression that is being peddled here.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you understand by collective responsibility in cabinet?
During the period preceding the constitution referendum, some elements tried to compel a divided cabinet to support the mutilated Wako draft. In a scenario of constitution making, government does not exist, and therefore cabinet role is zero. All members of cabinet, by the virtue of being members of parliament are automatically nominated as delegates into the consitutional conference and they represent the people there. Other delegates represent special interest groups in a constitutional conference while the CKRC presided over the conference. No, I repeat No cabinet role whatsoever!
Besides being MPs, cabinet members are also Kenyan citizens, and they can hold a different opinion on a matter of public interest from that of cabinet. Yes, I appreciate that Kibaki desired collective resposnibility in his cabinet, but why cant he appreciate that his cabinet was a unique case - in that it was a coalition that was formed before a general election and all his supporters were voted into office in a single political party called NARC, and that there was an MOU that created this coalition?
NARC is the biggest FRAUD and CON GAME that ever happened to the Kenyan people. Moi must be laughing his head off. Are our memories that short ?
Yet again, it boils down honesty and integrity. Without these two, you cannot expected to have collective responsibility in cabinet, especially in a coalition. Just fulfil your part of the bargain, period...
PS. Ochii, Chris has a private e-mail, and I guess that if you care for his safety, you will not hesitate to use it. Thanks
Derek and Phil.
ReplyDeletePls dont dismiss this. This is a real threat that Chris should not ignore. Today power has corrupted every one and this is the reason that Chris life is threatened.
There is nothing to hide here as he has said it himself that his life is in danger earlier. In any case Chreis would still have published such an alert.
Its shamefull for someone to dismiss such information as rumour mongering and Chris should not regard such people as friends.