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Siku ya Madaraka

Kenya imejipa madaraka! Hicho kilikuwa kichwa cha habari katika gazeti la The Standard tarehe 12 Januari 1963. Mwaka mmoja baadaye Kenya ilipata uhuru wake. Babu yangu aliniambia, alikuwa akitembea siku moja jioni akitoka kwa shamba la mlowezi aliposikia habari hii njema kwa redio ya jamii. Katika siku hizo za kisiasa tele, watu walipaswa kutembea huku wamevaa kibandiko kilichokua na jina lake kwa shingo. Mmenyuko wa kwanza baada ya habari hiyo ilikuwa kutoa kibandiko hicho kilichojulikana kama ‘Kibandiko cha mbwa’ na kukitupa motoni lakini babu yangu alitafakari kwanza. Akajiuliza kama habari hiyo ni ya kweli? Saa moja baadaye, Sauti ya Kenya ilipeperusha hewani sauti iliyojulikana vizuri ya marehemu Jomo Kenyatta, Waziri Mkuu mpya wa Jamhuri ya Kenya. Waafrika wachache walikuwa wamelimika nyakati hizo. Chini ya asilimia tano ya wakenya wangeweza kutofautisha kati ya utawala wa kujitegemea na uhuru. Sherehe zikaanza mara moja hasa katika miji mikubwa. Shule zilipewa wiki moja ya likizo. Majadiliano katika barabara ya kujilimbikizia yalilenga suala moja: utawala binafsi. Maadhimisho zaidi yaliweza kupanuliwa kwa wiki zaidi. Wakenya waliingia mitaani kushangilia uhuru wao. Nyimbo zao zilikuwa za kuwasifu mashujaa wa vita. Waliwasihi mababu zao kubariki ardhi yao. Tangu wakati huo, siku hii imebakia siku muhimu kwenye kalenda ya Kenya na Afrika kwa ujumla. Wakenya husherehekea mtindo wa kipekee. Gazeti la serikali limeitaja sikuu hii kama likizo ya Taifa na marais wa mataifa jirani hufanya ziara kuheshima siku hii wakati wa kumbukumbu yake. Ni siku ya kutafakari tena wakati historia ya Kenya inaandikwa upya.

----Formal English----

"Kenya achieves self-rule!" That was the headline of the Kenya Standard newspaper on January 12, 1963. Exactly one year later, Kenya attained its independence. My grandfather told me that it just so happened that he was walking from a settler's farm one evening when the community radio station announced the good tidings. In those highly political days, men were supposed to walk around wearing a neck tag that bore their name. Their first reaction to the news was to remove what they referred as their 'dog tag' and throw it into the flames; however, my grandfather thought otherwise. Could the news really be true? One hour later, the Voice of Kenya aired the familiar voice of Jomo Kenyatta, who was now the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya. Few Africans had acquired formal education during those times; in fact, less than five percent of the population could differentiate between self-rule and independence. Celebrations started immediately, especially in major towns. Schools were given a one-week holiday. Talk in the street concentrated on one subject only— self-governance. The celebrations were further extended another week as more and more Kenyans took to the streets to demonstrate their freedom. Songs were composed to praise the war-heroes, imploring their ancestors to bless their land. Since then, the day has remained an important one both on the Kenyan calendar and in Africa as a whole. Kenyans celebrate the day in style. The day is celebrated as a national holiday, and the presidents of neighboring states pay Kenya visits in order to honor the memorable day. The day is one of reflection as the history of Kenya is rewritten once again.

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