I have lived long enough to see people grow, gain wealth, became poor, die old while others die before their time. I sometimes regret ever seeing the light of this world, this world is brutal unfriendly and unfair. The most traumatizing thing is that I lived to see my mother humiliated, raped, wounded, dragged on dusty ground and even killed. I saw her scream out of pain, plead for mercy, kneel before men and cried out her heart before being butchered. Blood flow with pressure from her veins sprinkled on the rocky dusty ground and for the first time I saw mud form from blood. When mum got a report from her doctor that the child to be born was a boy, she come home early and broke the news to all of us with joy. That night there was a little argument, my dad wanted the young boy to be a teacher while my mother wanted him to be an engineer. After the argument became hot dad conceded and agreed with mum. Probably today we would be celebrating 20th birth day of my young brother. My mum would prepare a special meal for all of us and let my brother blow some candles but not before he made a wish. We could crack jokes and all of us could bust with laughter. He could be in campus and studying engineering just like mum desired. When the assassinators butchered my mother, they also killed my brother, two months before he could see the light of this world. They killed his dreams and terminated his academic journey before it began. I still remember this nightmare like it happened this morning. My mother did nothing wrong, she was just another good citizen, the only thing she did wrong was to rise up in the morning, go to the polling station and vote for the president of her choice. I regret having woken her that morning to go and practice her democratic right. Our country was peaceful and everyone had the liberty to live, stay, associate and work anywhere within its borders. Then hell got loose. A nation that was once peaceful and united became divided. People from one community rose against those not from their own. Within few days after violence broke, my dad was killed by a bullet while holding peaceful demonstration. I still hate my dad for going to the street to demonstrate against the government. He could have taken us to a refugee camp in the neighboring country just like other people. If they are still married with mum in heaven, I know they are still arguing and the argument is not ending soon. My dad was a university professor who believed in rule of law, he always felt offended when the government went against the constitution. When hell got loose he did quit his job and became a political activist. He became famous within a short time and everyone wanted him to hold the highest office in the country. I was 15 years old. He took me to a political meeting once and mum was really bitter with him. Personally I was a big fun of him and turned to our old black and white television just to hear him talk. He was such a talented speaker. People spoke about him in public and in closest. He was the sent mosses to bring our people from Egypt. What we never knew was that he was making enemies each day. My mum, a house wife always insisted that this was not a good idea. He had a feeling this was not going to end well. Today I wish dad could have listened to her. When elections were held my dad worn with a huge margin, but the incumbent president refused to concede defeat. This was binging of our dark days. Citizens were butchered, blood was shed, and people were wounded. That Wednesday morning I saw them storm into our house and killed my mother. I had seen mother shed tears after my dad died, but I had never heard my mother cry in day light. I saw my pregnant mother fight her assassinators but her efforts bore no fruits. My father’s body was still at the morgue and we were still mourning him. All this time I was hiding in the bush and am yet to forgive myself. I should have been my mother’s savior. I should have picked a log and knocked one of them hard enough to kill and may be my mum and my brother could be alive. I felt a coward to watch them humiliate my mother for no reason. She had not attended even one political rally or demonstration. Her mistake was getting married to dad and voting for him. I promised myself that this was not the end; I will live to fight another day. May be one day I will get a bazooka and revenge the death of my mum and my brother. 20 years have since passed and each day my anger melts away. I have learnt to forgive those who killed my mum and to let my mum and my dad rest in peace. I went through a lot of hardship but thanks to God I got I to my feet after long struggle. No child, country, family or nation deserve to go through what we went through. Let’s appreciate and maintain peace. story by a boy who was born and raised in a war torn country in Africa
0 Comments
When president Moi banned political parties leaving only one party in 1979, everyone thought Moi was a selfish person who wanted to remain in power forever. Political activists and energetic politicians found this hard to stomach and did everything to ensure re-introduction of Mult-partism. Former cabinet ministers Kenneth Matiba and Charles Rubia and the then political activist Raila Odinga were detained for demanding the introduction of multi-party democracy. Political activist and Kanu rebels used every weapon documented in the constitution to fight for re-introduction of multi-party democracy. During the early 1990s, a wave of democratization swept across the African continent. The wave took many different shapes and forms. International donors through World Bank halted foreign aid while demanding the government to implement reforms. In July 1990 there was mass riot in the whole country and the pressure became too much for Mzee, he therefore allowed multi-party democracy. This was the beginning of trouble in our country. Parties began to mushroom and before the dust could settle the parties began to split. People from the same ethnic community began to form political movements while sidelining those not from their community. In 2000 everyone was bitter with the then president Moi since he had endorsed and funded Uhuru Kenyatta to run for presidency. All key personalities and politicians came together and said Kibaki tosha with the aim of killing KANU. Kibaki became the third president of Kenya and Kenya became a united nation for once. In 2010 a new constitution was promulgated and gave weight to freedom of individuals to form and associate with any political movement. Political parties were born and before they could mature they were strangled. Kenya became a tribal nation and people began to think and act along tribal lines. Ethnic community began to vote national leaders from their community. Ethnic mergers were formed and named political parties to help individuals ascend to power. When Kibaki left office in 2013 the country was divided and far from healing. And then came president Uhuru, everyone thought this was a new dawn for the country to heal and reconcile. Deep wounds of 2007 were left uncovered and everyone buried their heads in the sand and assumed everything was Ok. The ICC left the nation divided and bitter instead of better. Ethnic communities stood with their accused political leaders and when all was laid to bed new political outfits were designed to ferry individuals to power. Today Kenya is divided more than ever before, the two main political players, jubilee and NASA, have held Kenya hostage. NASA has great following from western Kenya, Nyanza and partly coast while Jubilee commands great following majorly from central region and Rift valley. According to the new directive, by the NASA CEO Mr. Norman Magaya, Kenya is going to be more divided along ethnic and economic lines. NASA supporters are going to boycott certain products and services offered by president Uhuru, William Ruto and their close associates President Moi probably saw this coming, a day when Kenya was going to be divided along tribal lines in the name of political parties. May be Kenya was not mature enough for multi-party democracy. The problems we are facing today have been raised up by many parties. Those who died during riots and those who were detained did it in vain and their families suffered for no reason if multi-party democracy does not unite Kenyans. Most 3rd world countries in Africa are suffering from the same problem as ours and its time we critically analyze our problems and accept the bitter truth. images courtesy of google
|
Archives
November 2017
Authorsir kabiru Categories
|