02/12/2006
GRANTS
WECHE MOKADHO
;
P.O. Box 58972
00200 City Square
Nairobi
Kenya
11th February 2006
CORETTA SCOTT KING
The passing on, passage tributes and interment of Coretta Scott King, marks a milestone and turning point in the History of America, the Civil Rights
Movement and Black History at large the World over. It was a resounding tribute to all Black freedom fighters, past and present, across the World, and in
particular, Rev. and Mrs. Martin Luther King Jnr. Just about the biggest statement of the change that America has embraced over the past forty years, was attendance of Mrs. King’s funeral by President George Bush and
former Presidents Clinton, Bush and Carter, two Republicans and two Democrats. These are scenes only witnessed when a US President passes away. The presence of former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter cannot however be said to be surprising, because the plight of African-Americans and other minorities, has always dominated policies of Democrats. Republicans however represent America’s old, powerful, wealthy and conservative order,
sticklers to the old ways. So the presence of George Bush Jnr. and George Bush Snr. at Mrs. King’s funeral signifies a major milestone in America’s History.
Blacks all over the World need to pay attention to this significant transition, because when America sneezes, the rest of the world has a cold. Many Blacks
forever complain and whine about being the victims of racism and prejudice, even though in most cases this is untrue. America has openly demonstrated that it is ready and willing to work with Blacks, but not for them. There is a huge difference between working with and working for. Ironically, this misconception has been the source of numerous racial spats over the
years, revealing Blacks as more the perpetrators of racism and prejudice, than those they accuse to be. Since we do not have standards, wealth or pride of our own, there is no way we can lay demands.
It is also tragic that we as a Nation are nowhere near making the strides that America has, yet we always accuse America and in particular President George W. Bush, for all manner of evils. America has long accepted and honoured the Civil Rights Movement. A Federal holiday in honour of Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement has been in enactment for over twenty years now, signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. What about us, have we done the same for all the heroes and heroines of our heritage and freedom
movement? When the time comes for Mrs. Elsie Mukami Kimathi to go to her rest, will she and her husband get even a fraction of the honour that has been
bestowed on Rev. and Mrs. King? We can no longer take refuge in pointing fingers elsewhere because it is we the people who are to blame. We celebrate the lives of Rev. and Mrs. King and recently deceased Rosa Parks, among others, in large part because of their brave, bold and courageous role in challenging and defying a system that was oppressing them. Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama, on 1st December 1955. Rosa Parks did what needed to be done in the fight for change and equality. Had she argued that she and the others wait for the next General Election as we in Kenya do, the Civil Rights Movement would have gone nowhere. One also further needs to note that America has had 13
presidential elections and 10 presidents between Rosa Park’s 1st December 1955 and now, and if we use that as the standard and timetable through which change will come to Kenya, then we are truly doomed. The terrible monumental scandals linked to the sitting Kenyan Government that have emerged in the past few weeks, strip it of all legitimacy to continue ruling.
Yet we the public are just sitting back, whining, laughing and dining, viciously attacking George Bush’s racist America for invading Iraq, and waiting for the
next general election. However when we get hold of a thief who has stolen a loaf of bread out of sheer desperation, we set upon him or her with the
viciousness that Lions hunt their prey, openly exposing our extreme cowardice. Not one of us truly cares about ourselves, this country or it’s destiny, because if we did, the Government would by now already have been removed from power by way of public petition and protestation.
Drought, famine, poverty, disease and despair are ravaging this country, yet those with the power, opportunity and ability to do something, care about
nothing more than themselves, glamour and glitz. It is Africans running this country and the population is predominantly African, so we have no one but ourselves to blame. We cannot even run our own country and this
is a terrible shame. When the building on Nairobi’s Ronald Ngala street collapsed in January this year, a team of Israeli military personnel was hurriedly flown in to salvage the situation. The Israeli Colonel in charge of the operation asked a simple question, “Who is in charge here?” at the rescue site, and got no answer. This was despite the presence of several high ranking Kenya Government military officials, many probably higher in rank than the Israeli Colonel. He then ordered all of them out like a pack of truant school children. Days in the history of a Nation do not get darker than this, as they demonstrate a complete lack of purpose, ability, identity, self-respect, self-esteem, character, pride, control and direction. We lack all these as a people and a
Nation, and it doesn’t scare us one bit.
Martin Luther King’s celebrated dream has been realised in America because the “sons of former slave owners and the sons of former slaves, now sit together at the table of brotherhood”. Coretta Scott King’s distinguished farewell brought this out in a very powerful, poignant and immortal way. Rev. and Mrs. King’s dream is however yet to be realised in several other parts of the World, including, and tragically so, Kenya.
Michael Mundia Kamau
Joluo.com
Ka in gi mari moro ma di wandik ka to
orni
Akelo nyar
Kager, kata wuon
Abila,
kata Awino Rayier
jaluo@jaluo.com
wuonAbila@jaluo.com
awinorayier@hotmail.com
Daher winjo dwondi in bende,
iwinjo?
Inyalo oro twak kod weche manyien ne: Mig. Ajos wuod Atiga
WuonAbila@jaluo.com
GALAMORO : Riwruok mar JOLUO e Piny Ngima, orwaku uduto mondo ubed e kanyakla mar burani. Ornwa nyingi gi nondi kaka obedo. Riwruok e teko joka Nyanam.