Writing for Kenya
Page 43
through the building by a member of the Kikuyu tribe working there.
He even introduced Kenyatta to his white master, in charge of that Post
Offi
ce. He greeted Kenyatta warmly and asked him about London.
From the Post Offi
ce, we went to the District Commissioner’s offi
ce
to see a certain white man, Mr Kelly, who was in charge of the African
building programme for the Municipal Authority of Mombasa, as we
had earlier been told.60
Mr Kelly received us with due respect, to the extent of providing
us with chairs to sit on in his offi
ce, while also shaking our hands
normally.61 Mr Kelly talked with Kenyatta for some time while we sat
there. He told Kenyatta about the bad state of the African soil and of
many other things connected with the diffi
culties of ruling the coun-
try. When we were about to leave, he told Kenyatta that whenever he
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mirango iria yaari ya andu a Mombasa a tene muno, Nayo mirango
io igemetio na undu wakugegania, na nimitungu gukira mirango ya
comba. Na hihi niyakuaga matuku maingi igikarikia kugemio ugwo.
Andu aria tworirie ukuru wayo, magitwira ati hihi ininite ta miaka
magana matatu.
Twoima hau tugithii kuona mucii uria waari wa Athungu aria
metagwo Warenu. na nigwo njera matuku maya, na tukiona micinga iria
maruaga nayo iri o haria yatigiruo, nayo imwe yayo yandikitwo mwaka
wa 1809 na 1815, nitakuga ukuru wayo ni miaka 137. Ningi tukiona
athungu magithambira, iria-ini matukanite na atumia ao mehumbite
tukwo tunini muno. Muthuri ti James Beautah okiuga ‘u u ni atia kai
andu aya matari thoni?’ Padre ucio mari na Kinyatta akimwira ucio ti
undu munene ni wira matuire ungiri wawona ndungiuria icio.
Twoima hau nigwo twathire kinya Hutiri iria igwitwo Britania, o
kuria twari Muthenya ucio ungi, tugikora andu matwetereire. Tondu
muthenya ucio nigwo kiama gia K.A.U. ruhonge rua Mombasa many-
itaga Kinyatta ugeni na undu wa kumugurira irio icio. Na ni haari andu
ta 35 arume na anduanja aria makenanagira na Kinyatta.
the home coming of our great hero jomo kenyatta
287
visited Mombasa again, he would try to fi nd the time to show him
round Mombasa town.
In reply, Kenyatta told him that even now, he had a friend with him
who had never seen Mombasa before, and that he would be pleased if
there were some African things which he could show them that day.
Mr Kelly agreed and said he would show them some African buildings
that aft ernoon.
From there, we went to visit the African Court rooms. Th
ere, we met
Senior Chief Abdalla who took us to an upper room to see the District
Commissioner [D.C.]. But we found that he was not in his offi
ce.
Seeing Wonderful Old Doors
But on D.C.’s offi
ce verandah, we saw what we were told used to be
the people of Mombasa’s doors in the olden days. Th
ey looked very old
indeed. Th
ey were also highly decorated by being carved in a marvel-
lous way. Th
ey were made of thicker, more durable wood than modern
doors. It was work that must have taken the carpenters involved a long
time, to make those doors so beautiful by decorating them so nicely.
When we asked how long it was since they were made, we were told
they might be over three hundred years old.62
Th
e Old Guns at Fort Jesus Jail House
From there, we went to see the old building put up by Portuguese
sailors in the last century, known as Fort Jesus. Th
ese days, it is used
as a prison. Outside it, and still facing the sea, we saw their big guns
stationed where they were left many years ago. A close look showed
that one of them was made in 1809 while the other was made in
1815—which shows that, by counting the years since then, they were
made over 137 years ago.63
Th
e Sight of Swimming White Men and Women
Since Fort Jesus is near the sea, we looked a little further, where we
saw some white men and women enjoying themselves, swimming at
the edge of the sea. Th
ey were wearing scanty coverings, with men in
trunks and women in bikinis.64 When Mr James Beauttah saw them, he
was so surprised that he exclaimed: ‘What’s all this! Aren’t these people
ashamed?’65 Th
e padre who had accompanied Kenyatta from Europe
replied: ‘Th
at’s nothing new to them. Th
ey’re used to it, and if you had
seen them previously in Europe, you would not comment on it’.
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(13) Irio na Miario
Muthuri ugwitwo Stephens muratawe wa Kinyatta kuuma tene, akio-
nania uhoro ati mwene giti wa kiama gia K.A.U. ruhonge rua Mombasa
ndarikuo e Nairobi, na ati muthuri ti Senior Chief Abdulla niwe ukwaria
handu-ini ha kiama gia K.A.U. ciugo cia kunyitta muthur ti Kinyatta
ugeni. Hindi iria Senior Chief Abdulla arugamire okiuga ati ni gikeno
kinene tondu wa kuona mugeni witu mutheru ti Jomo Kinyatta uria
wathire Ruraya handu ha miaka 15 mihituku, na riu ehamwe nao
akiuga ati tutimwitte arie irio ciiki, no tumwitite ngoro yake ikenanire
na ngoro ciitu na tumwire ati niwega agerie gututeithia o uria ahora
ndakae gutigithiria.
Nake Kinyatta agiukira agicokia ngatho na muhera tondu wa kuny-
itwo ugeni, na akiuga niwega ngoro cia andu airu ciikare ikimenyaga ati
hena undu munene uria ucigwatie ati, na nigwo rangi wa miiri yao na
ngoro io itumite mamunyite ugeni noyo ngoro ya uigwano, twaiguana
hatiri undu o na umwe tukenda gwika na tutiike. Na niturionaga hindi
ya gukenanira na kuria irio ciitu twi hamwe.
Th
utha wa miario andu magikinyatana na kandu magigekira mwiri
mena gikeno na ngatbo ngoro.
(14) Gucerio Mombasa
Th
utha wa kandu, nigwo muthungu ucio wa Muthubari ugwitwo Kelly
okire na mutokaa, agikua Kinyatta na James Beautah na mugeni wa
Kinyatta ugwitwo Brother Francis na mwandikithia wa Mumenyereri.
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289
Kenyatta is Invited by KAU Mombasa Branch
From there, we went to the Britannia Hotel, where we had been the
previous day, for this was the day that the Kenya African Union
Mombasa Branch had arranged to welcome Kenyatta by giving him
midday lunch. Th
ere were about 35 invited guests at the lunch, men
and women from Mombasa and Nairobi.
(13) ‘If We Are United, We Can Do Anything’: Kenyatta
Th
e diff erence between the KAU lunch and others was that, instead
of making speeches aft er lunch as previously, this time speakers were
required to speak before they were served their meal.
At the meeting Mr Stephen, who was a friend of Kenyatta from
the very beginning, spoke fi rst and told the assembled guests that the
Chairman of KAU Mombasa Branch66 was away in Nairobi. And that
Senior
Chief Abdalla would act in his place and speak on behalf of KAU
in the chairman’s absence. He would speak the words of welcome to
our honoured guest Mr Jomo Kenyatta.
When Chief Abdalla stood up, he said it was a great joy to see our
honoured guest who had gone to Europe fi ft een years ago. But today,
we are with him in this room. We did not invite him here simply to
eat with us, but so that his heart and ours may be gladdened together.
And to tell him that he should keep on trying to help us, not giving
up his fi ght for Africans.
Th
en Kenyatta stood up and said he was grateful for being welcomed
with such warm hospitality. He said that black people should always
appreciate the importance of what it is that grips their hearts. Th
at is
the colour of their skin and the spirit that prompted them to invite
him today—for it is the origin of our Unity. ‘If we are united, there
is nothing we cannot do that we want to do—which would give us
another opportunity to enjoy being together.’ Aft er the speeches, the
guests began tackling their food with grateful hearts.
(14) Visiting Mombasa
Aft er KAU’s welcome for Kenyatta had concluded to everybody’s satis-
faction, we had only a little time to wait before Mr Kelly, member of the City Council, arrived to take Kenyatta around as he had promised
earlier that morning.
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Makiamba gutwaruo nyumba iria njeru ciakiiruo andu airu ni thirikari
ya muthibari ya Mombasa, nacio tukiona ati ni njega muno Na tugitonya
imwe yahetwo Mugikuyu, tugikora mutumia wake na twana. Tugicoka
tukionio nyumba ya muthemba ungi. Hindi ria Kinyatta onire nyumba
icio okiuga ni njega muno, na oruo twahota gwaka niwega Agikuyu
twiyakire tunyumba wega twa mahiga tutheru nigetha ciana itige gucoka
kurumwo ndutu maguru.
Tugicoka tukionio nyumba imwe nene makiria iria irakiruo du airu
ya guthakagiruo, no ndiri irarika, nayo ni nene na [???] ika ni rituika
nyumba yabata. Twoima hau tugithii kwonio kia mbia cia gwaka
nyumba icio njega ugwo ciumaga. Tondu uhro uria munene, ni ati
mbia iria ciothe andu airu mahuthagair makigura njohi ya Muthubari
umithio ucio wothe nigwo uturaniiruo o kinya igatuika mbia nyingi
muno cia kuhota gwika maundu manene ugwo.
Tondu ucio ciiko icio nene ugwo ciikitwo ni andu airu mateku-
menya. Na nikio kwiragwo ati wa kirimu witirimagia na mugi. Ngatho
ya manyumba macio ndiri kuri andu airu ni amu hatiri mundu
ucokagirio ngatho tondu wakunywa njohi muno tondu ucio nigwo
witagwo uitangi. No Athungu nio mena ngatho io, tondu wa ugi wao
makamenyerera mbia icio iguitangwo ni andu airu, magacoka mageka
giiko kinene. Nao andu airu magiciragie ati ni mendetwo muno tondu
wagwakiruo nyumba ta icio o hindi iria ario marutite mbia icio ciothe
matekumenya.
Tugithii kuu kirabu kiria kinyuagiruo njohi tugikora andu airu
magana maingi muno, amwe marungii, na angi maikarite thi makinywa
njohi, angi matumite mutongoro muraihu urorete na haria njohi itaha-
giruo andu othe magicuthiriria Kinyatta magegecire muno, na angi
makimwaragiria githungu o ta uria mukumenya ariu mekaga. Ni kuri na
tucegu twakitwo kuu mwena-ini wa kirabu kuria andu aria mekwenda
kunywa njohi maikarite thi maikaraga Naruo ruthingo rua tucegu tuu ni
ruhure mbica nyingi muno cia moko, nacio mbica icio nicia mathekania.
na ati muhiri ni mundu muiru mumera umwe wirutite muno.
Twarikia kwona, Muthungu agitwira kuu nikwo mbia nyingi muno
cia Muthubari ciumaga. Kinyatta okimuria ni mithemba i igana ya
njohi inyuagwo kuo? Nake Muthungu akimwira ni mithemba iri ya
mutu na ya munathi, Tondu woria thaa itari nyingi cia gucera maki-
ria, tugicoka na giceceni. Tugitigana na Muthungu, natukimucokeria
ngatho muno.
the home coming of our great hero jomo kenyatta
291
He had his big car with him and four of us got into it without dif-
fi culty, namely, Mr Kenyatta, his friend Brother Francis, Mr James
Beauttah and the editor of Mumenyereri.
Th
e fi rst place we were taken to see was the Mombasa Municipality’s
building site for new African housing. We saw that they were good
and beautiful houses in spite of being too small. We entered one of
them, allocated to a member of the Kikuyu tribe. We met his wife and
children, they looked happy and contented.
Th
en we were shown a new type of house built a little distance from
those we saw fi rst. Kenyatta was excited when he saw them and said
they were very good. He thought that, if possible, we Kikuyu should
try to build good, if small, stone houses like them so that our children
would no longer have their feet eaten by jiggers.67
Th
en we were taken to see another large hall being built for African
sports players, where one could also perform plays. Th
e building was
still under construction. When completed, it will be very beautiful
indeed.
Where the Money to Build Th
ose Houses Comes From
When we left the building site, we were taken to see where the money
comes from to build those houses. When the editor thought about it
later, he was surprised to fi nd that it comes from what Africans spend
on buying Municipal Beer. For the profi t from beer sales is added
together and soon it accumulates suffi
cient funds to build those good
and beautiful houses for African workers.68
Th
at means that something worthwhile, like building beautiful houses
for themselves, is done with Africans’ money without their knowledge.
It reminds one of the tribal saying that asserts: ‘Wakirimu witirimagia
na mugi’ which means, ‘A foolish man’s staff helps to support the clever man’.
This is because all the thanks for house-building goes not to
Africans—since no one is thanked for being a drunkard, normally
a source of trouble to oneself—but to the whites on the Municipal
Council. Th
ey are the clever ones who think and take care of the money
that Africans waste, until they can use it for doing important work such
as building those houses.
It makes Africans feel better, and grateful for such houses, without
the slightest idea that it was their money that helped to build them in
the fi rst place.69
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(15) Kuhaica Ngari
Twakinya giceceni, tugikora ati ithuothe aria twoimite Nairobi o undu
umwe na Kinyatta witu na mugeni wake, tuhetwo ikumbi rimwe. Tondu
anene a Railway matigana kuhingia kiriko kiao kiria matwirite rucini
ruu ati nimekuonera Kinyatta na mugeni wake handu ha guikara thi.
Naguo uhoro munene Kinyatta ndaigana kuigua uru o na hanini, no
makiria ni gukena akenire ati nigetha tuone hindi ya guthii tugiteretaga
iithuothe hamwe.
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293
Kenyatta Among the African Drunkards
From there we went to the drinking clubs where hundreds of Africans
>
were drinking their beer, some standing up and others sitting down.
Th
e newcomers formed a long queue leading to the bar where the beer
was served.
Some of the beer-drinkers noticed Kenyatta, who strolled among
them and looked on as they enjoyed their beer. Th
ey were surprised to
see him there. Some of them approached Kenyatta and tried to speak
to him in English, as drunkards usually do.70 Kenyatta neither ignored
them nor showed them any anger.
Comic Drawings on the Walls of the Beer Club
As we looked around the smoke-fi lled club, we saw some small cabins
built along its walls where drinkers could sit peacefully, quietly drinking
their beers. Th
ere were hand-drawn cartoons on the cabin walls which,
we were told, had been drawn by an African of the Luo tribe. Only a
good artist can draw funny characters able to cheer up beer-drinkers.
Aft er the visit, Mr Kelly told us that that was where most of the
Municipal money came from. Kenyatta asked him how many types
of beer were served in the club. Mr Kelly replied that there were two
kinds, one made from maize fl our, and the second from the coconut
trees which grow in plenty around Mombasa Island.
Since our time for visiting was running out, we had to go to the
station to catch the train for Nairobi. So, we bade Mr Kelly goodbye
and thanked him for showing us those interesting places. He took us
to the station in his car.
(15) Catching the Train for Nairobi
When we got to the station, we found that all of us who had come from
Nairobi to welcome him, as well as Kenyatta himself and his friend, were
accommodated together. Th
at meant that the Railway offi
cials had not
kept their promise to give Kenyatta and his friend seats in the Second
Class coach, as they had led us to expect that morning.
Instead of losing his temper and protesting at the Railway offi
cials’
failure to keep their promise, Kenyatta was not bothered or worried
about it. Indeed, he said he was delighted we could all travel together
and so have time to talk on our way up to Nairobi.
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Tugitonya twina andu aitu othe. Nao andu a Mombasa magitugira
uhoro makende muno, na no kinya makoruo maiguaga [???]undu kiria
kiiguagwo ni andu mendanite magitigana. ngari igigikura tukiambiriria
rugendo rua mairo magana matatu na mirongo tatu tondu niguo uraihu