NEW LAW A TRIBUTE TO KENYATTA- REALLY?

New law tribute to Mzee Kenyatta, says Kibaki

President Mwai Kibaki (second from left), Uhuru Kenyatta (centre) and Mama Ngina Kenyatta after a church service at the St Andrews PCEA Church in Nairobi, August 22nd, 2010. The president led the nation in marking the 23rd anniversary of the founding father Mzee Jomo Kenyatta which was marked. Looking on is Internal Security minister Prof George Saitoti (left). Photo/STEPHEN MUDIARI

By LUCAS BARASA lbarassa@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Sunday, August 22 2010 at 19:31

IN SUMMARY

Jomo Kenyatta’s life

• 1890s: Born Kamau wa Muigai to parents Muigai and Wambui in Gatundu.
• 1952: He and five others are arrested over Mau Mau activities.
• 1961-1962: leads the KANU delegation to first and second Lancaster Conference in London where Kenya’s independence constitution was negotiated.
• 1963-1964: Becomes Prime Minister of Kenya
• 1964-1978: President of Kenya

The passage of the new constitution was Kenyans’ reward for the country’s first head of state, it was said on Sunday.

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President Kibaki, who led Kenyans in commemorating the 32nd anniversary of the death of founding President Jomo Kenyatta, said Mzee’s dream of a prosperous country would be realised with the enactment of a new constitution.

“It is a big way of saying Thank You to Mzee. He left us a big country... let us build it now. I don’t see why anybody wants to make himself miserable by doing anything else,” he said after laying a wreath at Kenyatta’s mausoleum at Parliament Buildings.

Aim for bigger things

The President, together with the Kenyatta family and wananchi(citizens), later attended a memorial service at PCEA St Andrews Church in Nairobi.

The president said the best way of thanking the founding fathers of the nation is to ensure their vision of a great Kenya is realised.

“Mzee Jomo left us a great nation and what we are called upon to do is to ensure that we carry on with the work of building it further into greater heights,” President Kibaki said.

He said Mzee was a great leader who stood firm on his principles and ideals of making Kenya a proud country.

“For the younger generation who are not aware of the great achievements of Mzee Kenyatta, I would like to encourage you to carefully read the history of Kenya and you will see how great a man he was,” he said.

He said Mzee stood for what he fought for before detention and after. “He talked to people in a vivid manner, not remembering the time he had suffered.

People fought for him even when he was in jail. He had a clear mind on what he wanted the country to achieve after independence even at old age.”

The president was accompanied by Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende, Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and former First Lady Mama Ngina Kenya.

Mr Musyoka asked Christians to dedicate next Sunday for thanksgiving for birth of new republic. PCEA moderator David Gathanju said it is everybody’s responsibility to make the new constitution work.

Mr Kenyatta, who spoke on behalf of the family, said if his father were alive, he would have been proud of Kenyans for endorsing the new law.

“Kenya is not living in its past but present and is transforming itself for future generation,” Mr Kenyatta said.

1. Submitted by Governer
   Posted August 23, 2010 01:09 PM

   He was neither a good president or a true liberator just a glorified "Home guard"

2. Submitted by Independent
   Posted August 23, 2010 12:15 PM

   Mr. President you were doing very well until you decided to "reward" the founding father. Am I dreaming or what?? The overwhelming support for the new constituton has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with mzee Kenyatta. Period. He is the number one reason why kenya is in a mess. Be honest Mr. President and tell the true story.

3. Submitted by patriot1ambira
   Posted August 23, 2010 10:14 AM

   Kenyans, I am abit baffled by our president. Mzee Kenyatta is one of the reasons we've had to fight to get a new constitution. He engaged Kenya on a wrong footing, despite his nationalist credentials, then left us Moi, to finished the pathetic job. Are we just getting carried away while remembering the dead? Honestly, it’s only a tribute to us all who have endured their destruction of our nation, and the valiant vanguards who championed the course; Pinto, Jaramogi, Kaggia, Anyona, Muliro, Mkangi, Adungosi, Raila, Kituyi, Karua, Orengo, Imanyara, Njoya, Okullu, Cheluget, Ngilu, Koome, Nyong'o, Muite, Khaminwa, et al!!!

4. Submitted by rofi
   Posted August 23, 2010 10:11 AM

   I personally don't think that he was such a great leader

5. Submitted by vnajit
   Posted August 23, 2010 07:50 AM

   I disagree mr prezzo. That mzee who was the first president of kenya initiated all that's wrong with political life in this country. He messed us up.

6. Submitted by kingaiya
   Posted August 23, 2010 03:25 AM

   President Kibaki has done a great job but he should not mix the new constitution that the Kenyans voted for with Jomo Kenyatta. Jomo Kenyatta left a goverment that was and still is questionable. Ninty eight percent of the people who were in Kenyattas' government were sellouts or home guards! That's the reason why we ended up with despots like the former President Moi whom even after twenty-four years of mis-rule voted "NO". Call a spade a spade, Jomo Kenyatta was a dictator and a land grabber, period. I was twenty years old when he died

7. Submitted by wuod_aketch
   Posted August 22, 2010 10:34 PM

   It is hypocrite to think let alone even say that the Kenyans voted in the new law for the sake of Kenyatta. The mzee failed the country by leaving behind a country divided along tribal lines. He is the one responsible for leaving, after his separation from power by nature, a dynamite in the name of Moi that exploded the country bit by bit for 24 years.