09/11/2003
WECHE MOKADHO
JEXJALUO ****
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Cont.......
This story is continueing to be long and perhaps tedious especially if you don't get the grasp of it. This is the third part of my eulogy of the eighth Vice president of the republic of Kenya hon. Michael Kijana Wamalwa (Mike) Jr. I have put my left index finger to work and as you know pecking on these keys is not my favorite pass time. The rest of my fingers hate to type. Only pinky agreed to do it for me. It is because there is just too much news about my home town of Kitale. I'm now home sick. Don't forget that I'm a Luo and my homeland is Subaland, Lake Victoria. But Kitale is the place where I grew up.
Trans-Nzoia -Kitale:
This is a place with so much history. It was once known as the "White-Highlands" when the Brits came to Kenya they scrumbled to occupy it because of its riches in Agriculture, good weather(70-80 deg. and at night the temp. drops down to 50deg.) It is a place of relaxed lifestyle. Europeans owned huge chunks of land which they built Chatuax and Manor. All they did was to party day and night. It has the most beautiful torpography in the World. It is speculated to have been the Garden of Eden and the place King Solomon got his riches. (Rider Hagard: The Mines of King Solomon)
Large dairy farms, orchads, wheat fields, corn and sunflower. If you know your history this is the place her Majesty the Queen of England proposed in the 1940's that the Israelis be relocated to from the Middle East so that they can leave the West Bank and the Gaza Strip for the Palestinians. But then Americans scuttled the idea.They wanted the Israelis to continue to occupy the land they currenty own in the middle east rather than the proposed relocation to Kenya.
Americans did not want the conflict between Israelis and Palestinianss to be resolved and be sealed permanently. They wanted the conflict to remain open. That way, America will continue to control the whole world and display their military might. When Jaramogi suggested to Masinde Muliro to expand the Bukusu land, Muliro went heywire and moved his people as far to the east as he could. He pitched his tent on the Cherangani hills.
Where the VP's residence is located in Milimani Kitale, you can stand on the Verandah and see as far as the hills of Cherangani. On top of those hills, you can clearly see Omwami Masinde Muliro's home where he was buried. You can't see the house tho' because it is covered by tall trees. Muliro's house looks like an Islamic Mosque. That is why that compound the VP will be buried on Saturday 2 PM was very important to him. It wans't the greatest house in Milimani. It wasn't a story house as he disired either. But it is because of the visibilty of the home of who natured him into politics.
Back to Kenyatta stadium for a second with Jaramogi:
This is the day everybody was getting their crowns on. Alot of kenyans don't know that the late Masinde Muliro had a son who could have carried his legacy. But Mwambu Mukasa Muliro is not like Raila Odinga who is a direct replacement of his father Jaramogi. When Zachary Simechero brought Mwambu to introduce him to the people as the next replacement of his late father, the crowd charged at him, just like they did with me. They wanted to know if he is going to run for Cherangani and make his father proud in his grave?
His answer made a bunch of people almost puked? Mwambu is a mama's boy just like Uhuru Kenyatta son of the late president kenyatta who asked his mother for everything. Mwambu was like eh! "that part I will have to ask my mama first!" Your mama????? the crowd took him on. When Mike came on the podium, he assured the Cherangani people that Mwambu is the heir of his father's throne and he is definitely going to run... that is the time the crowd cooled off.
When elections came, Mike and the former Kwanza MP the late GW Kapten drugged Mwambu to the campaign trail. he couldn't handle it. When people were busy campaigning Mwambu would have an excuse. His excuse was that he is baby sitting. His mama and his wife went shopping in town. That is how Kipruto Kirwa (current Minister for Agriculture) wipped the floor with him like an old rug. Mwambu went home and he never resurfaced in any political scene. Now you know.
Milimani:
The VP was very pleased with this house, he wanted it right away. He already figured that he will dismantle the old colonial house and put up a modern building (storey house). He told me if the people who own the bareland in the front were willing to sell it, he would buy it and expand without bargaining. The VP's residence is one of the last homes on the eastside of of Milimani... from town and the show ground where the state burial ceremony will be conducted this morning. he was able to buy 15 acres and develope it. From his gate is is a bare large field all the way across the river to the other side known as kwa-wameru. it is said that the occupants of that land are all Merus who came to settle in Trans-Nzoia. at the belt of the greater Milimani, there is a sprawling slum called Shimo-Latewa.
Like Mike:
The VP and I were very close as my mentor and again as neighbors. But the problem you will always run into is that Bukusus are very skeptical of a person who is of another ethnic group staying in the inner cirlce of their hiriarchy. They told the VP thro tele-bukusu to be ware of this young man. He is too close. He is a Ja-luo you know. Even if he grew up here and is speaking our language, mtoto ya nyoka ni nyoka ( the child of a snake is a snake) How do you know he is not working for Raila? Raila has a large net work.
The VP knows his people.. he is a master of their ambiguity and skepticism. he would lend them a big ear and let it yada yadas pass thro' the other ear. The VP was vey westernized, so very civilized gossips taken to him goes thro' the roof. He would tell me "don't worry about my people they are a very backward, they have lots of fitinas and they are selfish". Don't count on what they are telling you. They can say anything to get anything. they wrangle and they are loud and so disorganized. The VP didn't know I already know the Bukusus. They are cowards as well.
The VP said I have to let them know that Raila and I have tripped out to get their votes (it is pure politiking) but in reality Raila is my brother. When we meet we hug and embrace.This chair I'm sitting on was given to me by his father . We are all sons of Jaramogi. Jaramogi invited me to Kisumu and blessed me with the mantle of Ford-K. In those days Donde was a very frequent visitor the the VP's residence.
But Donde was not a guy who speaks. he was very quiet I thought he was shy but he wasn't, he was scheming for Gem parliamentary. In the meantime, was buying lots of corn from the VP's farm to sell in Kisumu and Siaya. The VP is the top farmer in Trans-Nzoia. he cultivates 600 acres of land at his three rivers farm and then he leases thousands of other acres.
to be cont....
Next.....
Bukusus are tuff lot to deal with ( wait until the burial on Saturday it will be cheos, you have so much in store wiaitng to happen)
Harrison Wayoga
Albany, GA.
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orni
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