Annual Kumekucha Tribute To Tom Mboya
Exactly 38 years ago today (July 5th 1969), on a Saturday at lunch time a great Kenyan Thomas Joseph Odhiambo Mboya better know as Tom Mboya was gunned down outside a city chemist in broad daylight.
Today is a good day to reflect on where Kenya has gone since this still unsolved murder. I say unsolved because the man accussed of gunning him down went to the gallows (supossedly) still talking about being ordered to kill Mboya by a big man whose identity he never revealed.
Not only has Kenya gone backwards a long way from the day Mboya was elected to office as the first indegenous black African legislator in Nairobi by a mostly Kikuyu electrorate (he was Luo) but worse has happened. Today we hear it often said by the children of those Kikuyus who voted so enthusiastically for Mboya that some certain Luos are "unelectable" to the highest office in the land. I have often been accussed of favoring Luos in this blog (although recently I was accussed of being insensitive to them). The truth is that I am tribal but I ONLY recognize two "tribes" in Kenya, the Haves and the Have Nots. I greatly favor the latter voiceless tribe. I strongly believe that every political candidate should be judged based on their character and ability rather than from what part of Kenya they happen to come from.
Read about the emotions that run high on Saturday 12th July 1969 during the funeral
In the next few days we will carry a number of features in this blog to commemorate, as we always have since the inception of this blog, the anniversary of his death.
Why do I do it? Because I strongly believe that if Kenya has lost her soul (which I am convinced she has) then it all started that fateful afternoon when those two revolver shots rang out in Nairobi. And the truth is, we cannot face the future if we do not understand our past.
I warn the faint-hearted that this year I am little more upset than usual and I will not tone down any dosage of truth that has to be said and understood by all Kenyans. So it may be advisable for some of you not to read the Mboya tribute this year.
Those who are interested in learning the uncensored truth, please stay with me. I have a lot to say that nobody has dared to say before.
God save Kenya.
Other articles in this blog about Tom Mboya
The popular young politician who kept the wazees guessing
This man had something to do with Mboya's death
Mboya murder, JM's brutal Killing and the Standard Raid all have something in common
True Chris nostalgia adds value in the absence of favourable substitute. TJ's bones may have fossilized since his death close to 500 months ago but Kenya is yet to get one like him. Many will shout very subjective objections but you ca'y deny the fact that what TJ did with his life in under 20 years as an adult makes you look at the present crop of leaders very differntly and distatefully.
ReplyDeleteWhether he was a US poddle, TJ was a schemer per excellence with Kenya's interest upmost in his mind. The first crop of civil servants owe their 'lives' to his airlifts. His dead planted the appepetite for political opponent's head as a trophy. As we commemorate his death we can only build conterfactual (what if) models. Make no mistakes epidemiologists and statisticians will tell you that all progress are premised on counterfactual models.
Maybe TJ died with his dream for Kenya and those who stole his life stole our future and soul too as a nation. Just look at most posts that are typed at the mention of mention of just a single name.
By the way Chris, you ust be the richest Kenya host by endlessly satisfying all intelectual parasites who unfortunately leave very little (infact nothing) in return. But that is life, we are all ears and eyes, bring them on KenyansMost of the vitrol
Good one. At least we have people who through TJ's connection, FBI/CIA or whatever madea a little bit of difference.
ReplyDeleteThe first non university-educated speaker to address Makerere University students. Lest some forget, the brain behind the Uhuru struggle, hijacked by none other than Johnstone Kamau Wa Ngengi.
A brilliant, selfless soul. Will always be missed. What's the name of the bloke who is alleged to have shot him?
Chris, did the three links at the bottom come with the main one? Sorry, I didn't see them and I an sorry, I should not be buffeted for 'not reading the entire post'. I think I missed a comment I wanted to make on them.
ReplyDeleteThank you Chris for keeping alive the memories of one of Kenya's most illustrous sons. The reasons for his premature death are still with us today and I trully hope that one day this country will change and opportunities be equal for all citizens.
ReplyDeleteI also want to whole heartedly thank Taabu for highlighting caution repeatedly to those Kenyans who suffer from a superiority complex of sorts. Taabu has thrown two barbs that will hopefully open their eyes and I quote "......Chris must be the richest host with all intelectual parasites benefiting and offering very little. But that is life, we are all ears and eyes, bring them on Kenyans".... My friend Taabu repeated again today ".....By the way Chris, you must be the richest Kenya host by endlessly satisfying all intelectual parasites who unfortunately leave very little (infact nothing) in return. But that is life, we are all ears and eyes, bring them on KenyansMost of the vitrol..." end of quote.
If one post comments in these forums and you pay attention to what Taabu is saying, then one will not fail to see the cautionary barbs he is giving to those of us who always misuse freedom of expression to undermine each other and think we are better than the rest.. These individuals regularly post commentaries that look down upon certain groups of ideas with heavy sarcasm. What a pity.
And these concerns are a clear reflection of what the larger Kenyan society outside this blog is, more than 37 years after TJs death!
I am provoked by your reference to Tom Mboya as a Luo despite your 'tribelessness". Correction, Mboya was a Suba, that family of Bantus that found their way into the lake, his ambition, God bless his soul, was on the same, if not higher level than my friend Tinga/Agwambo/nyundo/Raila. Incidentally, how many Raila's do you know? how come nobody has named this son of ramogi? That aside, I agree with you that there are only two tribes in Kenya - those that live behind high walls with electric finishing and the rest of us who walk or use dilapidated Ma3s, and are cooks at their weddings where opulence is sickeningly displayed!
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, have you noticed that the famous Chaani drug store on government road is now a ramton store - so much for history.
I hope the hummer owner now knows what women feel when they are openly told they cannot lead, own property or any other traditional nonsence just because 'they are women'
WOMAN