Why are we so quick to forget Kapenguria Six?

Any honest historian will tell you the enormous sacrifices that were made by the famous six leading Kenyan nationalists Bildad Kaggia, Kung’u Karumba, Jomo Kenyatta, Fred Kubai, Paul Ngei and Achieng’ Oneko — were legendary and unmatched.

The great selfless men fought the fierce political battles that saw Kenya attain independence not for own gains but for the sake of the nation though things later changed for some. To be imprisoned in a remote part of the country for fellow compatriots those days was not a walk in the park. These true patriots went through such an ordeal because they loved their motherland and were ready to die for it. For most of them, it was never for selfish political gain or for mindless accumulation of wealth.

The truth, however, is that, if we are not careful as a nation, with the passage of time, save for Kenyatta, we will definitely forget five of these political visionaries. Why? Because ours is a nation where, as orator PLO Lumumba puts it, ‘saints are demonised and demons are canonised’.

We have never appreciated the contribution of these legends and sooner or later, no one will be mentioning Kaggia any more.

Sacrifices made

But why would a progressive nation bury her heroes in the mass grave of forgetfulness? How can a nation that prides herself to be rich in history of struggle for independence obliterate her sons and daughters into oblivion? Are we vindicating common saying that Kenyans forget so fast? No wonder David Goldsworthy was apt to title his famous book, Tom Mboya: The Man Kenyans Wanted to Forget.

Do we, as a nation, sincerely appreciate the sacrifice of the ‘Kapenguria six’? Are we aware we are where we are today because of the sacrifices they made? Why are our politicians not quoting from the works of these past leaders or mentioning their contributions during political rallies the way US President Barack Obama does time and again when referring to the past deeds of Abraham Lincoln?

Why has it taken us so long to name our public institutions and other  facilities after Kubai, Karumba and Oneko as is the case in other parts of the world?

Such a mindset and the ‘I don’t care’ attitude on the part of the Government will wrongly communicate to future generations that it is not important to serve the nation with selflessness, honesty and dedication since nobody really cares!

Let the next government take up this issue and immortalise the ‘Kapenguria six’ through appropriate and strategic ways.

It was the famous Australian novelist, Peter Carey who once said that “History is like a bloodstain that keeps on showing on the wall no matter how many new owners take possession, no matter how many times we paint over it.”

-David Sonye, Rarieda