A Letter to a Simple African Woman

Published on 6th November 2007

Why should my letter to a simple African woman bother Kenyans and Africans? She chose to pass on the very minute I landed in Amsterdam; I had met her on Sunday and her last words were: “…I am going to the farm!” It is election time, and I thought I should tell her why she will be buried in Bukura, Western Kenya. Why, those who propagate tribalism should go back to history books and vote facts and not tribe!

 

My mother loved books, though illiterate, she would ask me to read her stories on Nabongo Mumia, Shaka Zulu, Mkwawa, Kinjeketile, Francis Drake, Robinson Crusoe, Magellan, Pizzaro and Attahuallpa-the unfortunate emperor of the Incas among others. She was just hungry for history. I am so sorry mama that I forgot to read out one piece about Shaka Zulu. I will read it out now…that when we left Western Africa, and settled somewhere in Southern Africa; a young boy born out of wedlock, chose to break a spear into half and invented the assegai. Africa has never been the same; those who could not accept domination by him ran for their lives. We did, through Zambia, Malawi, Rwanda, Congo, Uganda and finally Western Kenya, that is why we shall burry you in Bukura. The short spear among other factors put us on the path of migration; they were no passports then in Africa. Those days, people voted with their feet, now we have secret ballot!

 

I am writing this letter from Frankfurt, a city that chose to host me having lost my mother. The focus of the third Africa-German Forum is “The Challenges of Change – African and German Responses.” The brainstorming event here is graced by Excellencies Horst Kohler, Festus Mogae, Marc Ravalomana, Armando Guebuza, Thomas Boni Yayi, Umaru Yar’Adua and Otumfuo Osei Tutu 2, Asantehene from Ghana. Naruddin Farah, an author of novels and plays says, “If both ears cannot hear, you cannot be balanced, let African people speak, only one ear gets fed by European ideas, the other ear is hungry for an African voice.” Our Ambassador Bethuel Kiplagat (Rtd) observed thus: “…Kenyans are very good in athletics - they puzzle Western countries to such an extent that some international marathon events are considering putting in place athletics quotas! Quotas or no quotas let the World know that we are coming, Africa is coming!” I thought you should know too that nobody listens to Africans, that is why I am in Frankfurt; and your passing on while I am in distant land energizes my mission.

 

You leave a big challenge to us; you were always in the farm – till the last day. Always using back-breaking hand held hoe to feed us. You fetched water over 2 kilometres away, and this you did since Kenya’s independence. One of my ears is suffocated by outside voices that say that we should leave Africa pristine, to make our mothers and fathers depart early due to strained muscles and sun socked skins. I say no, we must employ reason and make our parents’ farm smarter; the over 75 per cent farmers in Africa that engage in small holder farming must be liberated from archaic tools.  

 

Though a simple woman, I thought I should write you this letter before you are laid to rest. It is election time, those who talk tribes ought to consult the “great elephant” – Shaka; we can no longer vote with our feet, and secret ballot means we are here to stay even after elections! The assegai might have triggered massive movement in Africa; elections ought to trigger a ventilation of ideas that serve the purpose of unifying Kenya and Africa. Rest in Peace Sarah Eshimuli Shikuku!

 

This article was first published by Business Daily, a publication of Nation Media Group


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