Kenyans must remember and celebrate their heroes

When I first visited the National Mall and the Smithsonian Museums in Washington DC I quickly appreciated some of the “softer” reasons that make America, warts and all, a great nation. In the mall and in many other parts of the USA, Americans have told their story volubly and visibly. Naturally, the story is not a totally objective one, it is nuanced by American realities including sanitisation of such ugly periods as the annihilation of the Native Americans during the English occupation and the colouring of the evils of the slave trade.

Fortunately, America is increasingly coming to terms with the muck in its story and attempting to retell it more truthfully. I was for instance gratified to see the new Martin Luther King memorial and the imposing Museum of African American History and Culture set to be opened by America’s first black President. I share the American experience to celebrate the significant moment that occurred a week ago when the British government unveiled the Mau Mau memorial at the Freedom Corner in recognition of the valiant efforts of the Kenyan freedom fighters and the ugly role of the British colonists in that struggle.