Plans for Heroes Corner stall as State wavers

Busia

By John Oywa

The monument stands tall, its sharp pointed tip points at the sky. Lying at its feet is a statue of four patriotic Kenyans — a woman and three men struggling to raise the national flag.

From whichever direction you approach it, the monument at the Uhuru Gardens along Langata Road, Nairobi, is an artistic masterpiece.

It embodies a new dawn and Kenya’s struggle for independence.

But the beauty of the landmark and allure of the gardens has been undermined by an unfinished business — the construction of a much-hyped Heroes Corner.

The Sh300m project, meant to honour independence heroes and heroines has stalled.

Had the Government lived up to its promise to implement the project, the Kapenguaria Six — Bildad Kaggia, Kung’u Karumba, Jomo Kenyatta, Fred Kubai, Paul Ngei and Achieng’ Oneko —would have been immortalised at the Heroes Corner.

The Grand Coalition Cabinet is not in a hurry to endorse relevant papers needed to implement the project, which has since been handed over to the National Museums of Kenya.

The 10-acre plot sitting next to the Independence monument at Uhuru Gardens was commissioned by the Ministry of State for National Heritage and Culture two years ago. It was abandoned soon after and implementation papers are gathering dust on Government shelves.

Commissioned

Former Heritage Minister Suleiman Shakombo commissioned the Heroes Corner project amid pomp and fanfare on October 9, 2007.

He said then the heroes’ square was a significant national project as it would help in marshalling national dignity. He announced the facility would also have pictures and literature on Kenyan history.

When The Standard on Sunday team visited Uhuru Gardens, National Museums of Kenya staff were there to ensure the landmark remained neat and dignified.

But the Heroes Corner plot lay engulfed in tall grass behind a secure metal fence. A group of casual workers hired to clean the area around the plot were surprised when told the plot had been earmarked to honour the country’s heroes and heroines.

Inquiries at the Ministry of State for Heritage and Culture and the National Museums revealed the work may not start anytime soon.

A Public Relations Officer at the Ministry referred questions to the National Museums of Kenya.

The National Museums’ Public Relations and Marketing Manager Sharon Kyungu said: "I know something is being done about the project but I have to get details."

However, an officer in-charge of national monuments at the museum, Mr Wycliffe Oloo, said they would start building the Heroes Corner as soon as they get the green light from the Government.

"We are waiting for communication from the Cabinet. We don’t know why there is a delay," said Oloo.

Taskforce

The Standard on Sunday also established a national heroes and heroines taskforce set up by the ministry to come up with recommendations on how to honour forgotten heroes presented its report to the Cabinet in May last year.

The committee collected data countrywide and compiled a report on the criteria and modalities of picking those to be honoured.

It also recommended how the Heroes Corner should be designed.

A senior official in the ministry who did not want to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the Press said the taskforce chaired by Prof Vincent Simiyu did a commendable job.

"The taskforce gathered views from all over the country and their findings showed 76.7 per cent of Kenyans wanted our heroes and heroines honoured. Only 12.3 per cent said there is no need to honour them while about four per cent said they did not know about the matter," said the official.

Attorney-General Amos Wako had also come up with a draft Bill and a Cabinet memo for discussion on who qualifies to be honoured. It was also meant to set legal procedures for appointment of Heroes Corner management team.

"A lot of work has been done on the project. It seems the buck has stopped with the Cabinet," said the official.

The quest for the heroes corner started in the Eighth Parliament but MPs from then National Development Party and Kanu shot down a Motion seeking to honour the heroes.

The Motion moved by former Rangwe MP Shem Ochuodho wanted the Government to set aside a heroes fund to help the families of the country’s heroes and heroines, who he said were living in poverty.

Later, the Ninth Parliament took up the campaign to establish the corner at Uhuru Gardens.

Last week, Dr Ochuodho said it had taken too long to start the project.He said his Motion was defeated because he had been de-whipped by his party, National Development Party, after he opposed its merger with Kanu.

"While in Parliament, I moved a Motion to establish the Heroes Fund. However, Kanu/NDP teamed up to ensure it was defeated, perhaps just because I was the mover. It is unfortunate how Kenya disregards its heroes and heroines," he said.

There have been calls in and outside Parliament to have the remains of Independence heroes exhumed and reburied at the Heroes Corner.

These include the bodies of the Kapenguria Six.

 

 

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