Kisiang’ani’s article on Kenyatta legacy was brutally honest

Compliments to Dr Edward Kisiang’ani for his bold article ‘The lies about Jomo and Kenya’ (The Standard on Sunday, December 14).

Truly, Kenyatta was not the true hero of our freedom struggle. He set Kenya on neo-colonial rails after rewarding collaborators with land and then turning his back on the true heroes of the national liberation struggle.

However, it is sad Kenyans have all along been fooled to believe in false Kenyatta legacy.

Ruth First — the South African anti-apartheid hero — described Kenyatta as the leader of a rapacious indigenous elite who savoured the fruits of freedom to the exclusion of the mass of the peasantry who had struggled and died for it.

Tony Omondi, Via Email.

It is appalling to see how Kenyans have continued to ‘worship’ Kenyatta many years after his death.

I was serving in the Kenyan military by time of his death and the initial plan was that his body would be guarded by the Army, Air Force and Navy for five years each after which it would be relocated to his Gatundu home for burial. It’s high time Kenyans knew the truth and lies about the ‘heroism’ of Kenyatta.

Hezbon Ombwayo Odiero, Norway.

Bravo Kisiang’ani for your effort to highlight the historical lies we’ve been made to live with for decades.

George Katete, Via Email.

It was a very insightful piece. Kenyatta just camouflaged, took the thunder away from the liberation movement, scuttled it and set a stage for posterity conflict. He did not fight, but only appeared on the scene when it was convenient for his scheme!

Millennia Munge, Via Email.

It’s an answered prayer. At last, a brave scholar is highlighting the truth on the real freedom fighters.

Joe Mutungi, Japan.

I, too, have never believed the falsity in Kenyatta legacy — as a liberator and hero. He manipulated every opportunity that came his way for own good and that of his tribesmen.

Daniel Koskei, Via Email.

By using the term ‘kikuyunising’, the writer simply confuses ‘cronyism’ with ‘tribalism’. He’d better have named individuals instead of pointing accusatory fingers at innocent communities in general.

Kenyatta never went around looking for Kikuyus to fill key positions but was rather surrounded by his cronies who happened to be Kikuyus. This is even the case now. Take the current crop of leaders, for instance, whom do they mostly hang out with or rather who are their drivers, bodyguards and cooks?

Mike Maina, Wilmington, US.