“To the people who live in the northeast region, I have this to say. We know that many of you are herdsmen during the day and Shifta during the night, others conceal Shifta and refuse to give information about their movement” Prime Minister Jomo Kenyatta addressing the Kenyan house of parliament in 1964.
If the trees in my mother land could walk
And walk fast in the court rooms and testify
And the rocky Merti plateau could talk
And talk aloud on what it had seen with its naked eyes
The world would be stunned with what happened in northern juggle, fifty years ago
And walk fast in the court rooms and testify
And the rocky Merti plateau could talk
And talk aloud on what it had seen with its naked eyes
The world would be stunned with what happened in northern juggle, fifty years ago
The year was nineteen sixty three
When Kenya got independence and finally we were free
Kenyans were happy and in jubilation spree
But the people of northern Kenya were on their feet
When Kenya got independence and finally we were free
Kenyans were happy and in jubilation spree
But the people of northern Kenya were on their feet
The arrival of the military convoys marked the beginning of those dark days
Gruesome torture and murder was the order of the day
Men and women, old and young, non was spared
Some stronger ones survived, the weaker ones perished
Gruesome torture and murder was the order of the day
Men and women, old and young, non was spared
Some stronger ones survived, the weaker ones perished
Concentration camps were our homes for years
Homes where for years we shaded tears
Like animals we were herded, no contacts with our dears
No water, no food; dying of thirst and starvation was all very clear
Homes where for years we shaded tears
Like animals we were herded, no contacts with our dears
No water, no food; dying of thirst and starvation was all very clear
Men of the smoky metal were all over our jungle
Beating indiscriminately with the butts of their riffles
Some died, others survived though many were crippled
Others ran away but unlucky ones were trampled on and killed
Beating indiscriminately with the butts of their riffles
Some died, others survived though many were crippled
Others ran away but unlucky ones were trampled on and killed
Our animals were confiscated from our beautiful land of pasture
I guess you can now understand why abject poverty in our land is a conspicuous feature
And that is why, generation after had a pathetic future
Future characterized by ugly face of dependency on well wishers
I guess you can now understand why abject poverty in our land is a conspicuous feature
And that is why, generation after had a pathetic future
Future characterized by ugly face of dependency on well wishers
Sorry to our sisters, mothers and grandmothers
Their nakedness were exposed in presences of their youngsters
What follows was rape at a gunpoint by these monsters
Will they ever realize the life time damage they caused these survivors?
Their nakedness were exposed in presences of their youngsters
What follows was rape at a gunpoint by these monsters
Will they ever realize the life time damage they caused these survivors?
Shifta war was highly publicized
First the whole community was criminalised
And later marginalised
As such, in the northern jungle, no meaningful development was realized
So, were these the gifts of independence to the people of Northern Kenya?
First the whole community was criminalised
And later marginalised
As such, in the northern jungle, no meaningful development was realized
So, were these the gifts of independence to the people of Northern Kenya?
THIS POEM IS DEDICATED TO THE VICTIMS/SURVIVORS OF SHIFTA WAR (1963-1967)
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