It’s our duty to acknowledge and honour the true heroes of Kenya
The founding father of the nation, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta speaks with Mr Oginga Odinga (with his back to the camera) in Kisumu in 1969. FILE PHOTO | NATON MEDIA GROUP
During this year’s Mashujaa Day celebration, President Uhuru Kenyatta did well to acknowledge two categories of Kenyan heroes — Mau Mau and freedom fighters who fought for independence and second liberation fighters who spent years in prison and detention, fighting against one-party dictatorship.
When hyenas appoint commissions to select heroes, they pick their fellow hyenas. Similarly, when sheep appoint commissions to pick heroes, they also pick their fellow sheep.
About 130 years ago, our collective homestead called Kenya was raided, conquered, and declared a white man’s country. While most people hid and ran for cover, a few courageous people took up arms, fought for independence and won. These people became heroes of our first liberation.
After independence, however, our black leaders became our masters, subjecting our country to the tyranny of one party dictatorship that denied our people land, democracy, rights, and freedom. Like before, most people took cover and accepted tyranny. A few people, however, challenged black enslavement, won the war, and became the heroes of our second liberation.
