Receive greetings from the son of the oracles. For now, congratulations Your Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta; fourth president-elect of the Republic of Kenya. I came across a great piece online by a concerned matatu tout who is an ardent supporter of your nemesis who is in court over the election debacle. If he cared my opinion, I would advise him and all Kenyans to read that matatu tout’s piece on “we move forward” (donda254.wordpress.com). The biggest mistake we can make as Kenyans is to rubbish him off and disregard him as a mere stakeholder in the matatu industry.
Today I stand before you as a son of the soil and a s a Kenyan youth who has grown up knowing not my people’s language but 3 languages common to many of my generation- Swahili; English and what bonds my generation-“sheng.”
I am here for all those voices which cannot be heard- mothers, daughters, fathers and sons; some of whom have grown up knowing no other language apart from the 3 mentioned earlier.
Anyway, as I was saying. You have a tall order especially to those like me who did not vote for you sir and that order is to make all of us feel like we belong to you and that you belong to us.
It is time to win Kenya over; not just for the preservation of ourselves, but of our children and the generations that will follow. For the preservation of liberty, reason, law and order; but most importantly for hope.
Those who think “we lost” are deeply hurting sir. They feel their decision has been wasted to the pages of history. But their courage indeed bonds us together. That Kenya is made stronger by their actions and that their choices today reflect their bravery to exercise their democratic right by voting.
These pages need no history lessons Mr. President. The curse of uniting Kenyans has haunted every president that has set his eyes on the house on the hill. Mzee Jomo himself filed this test badly. Mzee Moi did not do well; either. Before I am reminded; I have to remind you that was why KANU was vanquished in 2002 General elections.
As for Baba Jimmy; the test of Nationhood has been a total disaster. It derogates all the other good things he did.
The son of the oracles expects that you will enumerate the lessons you want to leave. Rule of law. Honor. Duty. Glory. And that you will not play with the memoirs of this sacred country.
Whether we like or not, how we handle ethnicity today, at this very moment, will determine the level of faith Kenyans will have in your government and in the new constitution.
Kenya is bigger than any of us. Kenyans are watching you Mr. President, especially with regard to how you handle the little matter of the kitchen cabinet. After all, isn’t tribal balancing what presidents always do, even as they reserve the prizy portfolios for their people?
Your Excellency, for me and a legion more, we watch with our pen and paper in hand. At any rate, even royal ears ought to accept to listen, even to lips they do not like. But even if they will not listen, they must still be told.
Finally, what will change or break Kenya are the little things we do. Your Excellency, you can choose to ignore the sentiments of the people that glide before your eyes every day and end up making us a ragtag of mutually hostile war like tribes that bay each other’s blood. The problem is for my generation we have no tribe loyalty.
Or you can be a penchant that makes us one thriving and united proud nation. The choice I would say is yours! And so may the good God help you.
The son of the oracles will keep you company throughout sir. So, keep your eyes open to my letters. And as you take that bold step to unite Kenyans, probably what Sun Tzu said in his book “The art of war” will be a nice place to start;
“Regard your soldiers as your children and they will follow you unto the deepest valleys. Look at them as your won beloved sons; and they will stand by you even unto death.”
Cheers!
-by Embukane Vincent Libosso; communication student at Daystar University and blogger at Africa’s Hangout blog.
this story was picked up by african press international-http://africanpress.me/2013/03/18/kenyans-the-test-of-nationhood-congratulating-president-elect-hon-kenyatta/
3 comments:
http://africanpress.me/2013/03/18/kenyans-the-test-of-nationhood-congratulating-president-elect-hon-kenyatta/
Thank you, seen. I trust the editors will want to use your piece.
Regards.
B.
Sent from my iPad
that is what mr Barrack Muluka wrote concerning the above piece. he is a media consultant and was the adviser of Honourable Prime Minister Raila Odinga. he is also a contributor with the standard newspaper.
Thank you, seen. I trust the editors will want to use your piece.
Regards.
B.
Sent from my iPad
that is what mr Barrack Muluka wrote concerning the above piece. he is a media consultant and was the adviser of Honourable Prime Minister Raila Odinga. he is also a contributor with the standard newspaper.
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