May 14, 2012

By PIUS NYAMORA

I am sorry to hear that Martin Shikuku is not well. I and millions of Kenyans are praying for him. He will remain my hero for his courage to fight for the weak. Shikuku suffered years of detention and severe political persecution. Some of the people glorified today as leaders were just concerned about their own stomachs, as Shikuku used to say.

I do not agree with a Facebook friend’s take on Kenneth Matiba. I know Matiba well. I covered him when he was announcing his intention to contest a parliamentary seat for the first time. I also visited him at his home to try to convince him not to split the Forum for Restoration of Democracy at the height of the battle for the Second Liberation.

Jaramogi is the father of today’s freedom in Kenya.

Matiba got into opposition after President Daniel arap Moi fired him from his Cabinet post, which he left a bitter man.

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga was the first Kenyan Vice-President. He resigned from that seat to fight for the freedom of Kenyans. He did not wait to be fired.

Matiba came into the opposition after Jaramogi and other courageous Kenyans had risked their lives, organizing the opposition. Matiba dismantled the opposition and took Kenyans 10 years back. Shikuku supported Matiba in dividing Kenyans for reasons only the two can explain.

Talk to the Kenyans who were following the politics of the day. No one can rewrite history. Talk to Matiba also to find out if he is still proud of what he did. He is an honest man. He will agree with me that the best thing he ever did was to give President Moi's dictatorship 10 more years of unwanted leadership.

Everybody, except people who have been sleeping since 1963, knows where Jaramogi is.

I believe Jaramogi is in Heaven because of his struggle to free Kenyans twice: First against the British, then against President Moi's dictatorship.