organisation’s new offi
ce in Machakos Town. He then spoke of the
sort of trouble which the Motor Drivers and their assistants suff ered
such as poor pay. But he went on to say that, now that Government
had permitted them to form their own organisation, they stood a bet-
ter chance of asking for advice from clever people since Motor Drivers
were not well versed in education and so on.98
Th
e second speaker was Chief James Mwanthi who thanked the
people for coming there in such numbers. He stressed the importance
of respecting one another. Aft er him, it was Jomo Kenyatta’s turn to
speak. He rose from his feet and said to the waiting crowd:
‘I can speak to you in three languages, English, Swahili or Gikuyu. I
could speak in Kikamba too but if I did, you would not be able to hear
me for laughter. It would be better for me to talk to you in Gikuyu,
and those of you who can’t understand Gikuyu can have it interpreted.’
He went on to say:
‘I’m happy and grateful to the Motor Drivers Association for invit-
ing me here today. But you are entitled to ask “What sort of motor car
does Kenyatta himself drive?” My answer to that would be that I’m a
driver as well as his assistant,99 but the motor car I drive is the country.
Because even a country has its drivers and their assistants. But it’s very
diffi
cult to drive something like a country, since it does not move. Let
me say what I was going to say by drawing comparisons with driving
a motor car.
‘What I’m going to say is that there are many Kamba people who have
never seen me before. But on my part, and from my heart, [I can say
that] I know a lot about the Akamba people, their homes, their cattle,
and the grass where they graze these cattle, I know them more than
they know me. And because I’m sometimes inclined to be outspoken,
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ondeka, twitiganire na tutiane na twarie na kiugo kimwe. Nduriri ici
ciothe ngeni mukuona guku, kiria gitumite magie na hinya ti micinga,
no ni uiguano na ona ithui tungiaria na mugambo o umwe gutiri na
undu tutangihota gwika. No riri hindi iria twagetha irio ciitu, tuika-
gia makumbi, na thiini wa makumbi macio, irio niicokaga igathukio
ni mbuca. Onaguo Bururi uri na mbuca nyingi tondu riu ndiraaria
haha uumuthi nihari na andu aingi ngoro ciao iratumatuma makiuria
Kinyatta arinina kwaria-ri? Niguo ndengere na ihenya ngonanie uhoro
uria Kenyatta oiga. No riri, nii ngumwira nama ati ona korwo Athungu
marugamite hau ndingirega kuuga uria ngwenda, tondu ndiri na uhoro
wa kuhitha, Mundu uria wihithaga ni Murogi na ni muici. No twaga
maundu macio moru ma gucukana bururi wiitu niuguthii na mbere,
tugie na maundu mega, tuthere miiri, na tugie na nguo theru na tugie
na micii mitheru na tugie na utonga muingi.
(17) Uria Kinyatta Erire Agikuyu na Kiama gia Kanju ya Nyeri
o Undu Umwe na Athungu aria mari ho
Kuringana na maundu maria monanitio thiini wa ibuku riri, hatiri
handu hoigite ati Kinyatta ni mari macemania na Athungu thiini wa
mucemanio umwe. No munyaka ucio wa Athungu gukoruo ho Kinyatta
akiaria niwonekire mwena ucio wa Nyeri.
kenyatta is our reconciler
367
I’d like to remind you that, in 1938, your cattle were being taken away
from you.100 Were those cattle mine? No, but I can tell you that the
truth is that, for about eight months, I was engaged in protesting about
those cattle of yours. With that example in mind I’m glad to tell you
today that the motor-cars of our concerns may be driven anywhere in
the country, and those of us who drive them may have to go anywhere
in the world.
‘Another thing I’d like to say is that there is no Mukamba or Muki-
kuyu, they are both brothers. Th
at being so, we ought to drive that
car together. And another thing: Let’s consider how Africans used to
decorate themselves with ornaments. A young man used to put on
his ornaments and the girl used to do the same, so that they looked
beautiful. Th
e way they used to make themselves beautiful is how we
should make ourselves beautiful: by respecting one another, and speak-
ing with one voice.
‘All those foreign nations you see in our country—what makes them
strong is not their guns but their Unity. And if we are united [enough]
to be able to speak with one voice, there’s nothing we could not do or
achieve. But when we harvest our grain, we put it into our food stores,
and in those stores, our grain gets eaten up or spoiled by weevils. Th
e
country, too, contains many weevils.101 Th
is is because, even as I speak,
many people are anxiously asking themselves when is Kenyatta going
to fi nish—so that they can run as fast as possible to tell the Africans’
enemies what he has been saying.
‘But what I can tell you is this: In fact, even if the white people were
standing here today, they would not stop me from telling you what I
want. Th
is is because I have nothing to hide. Th
e man who hides what
he does is an evil witchdoctor (Murogi) and a thief. But if we could
stop the bad habit of misreporting one another102 our country would
make great advances. We would acquire better things, clean homes and
bodies, smart clothes, and more wealth.’
With those words, he ended his speech amid wild applause.
(17) Kenyatta’s Speech to the Nyeri District Council with some
Europeans present at the Meeting
In none of Kenyatta’s speeches published in this pamphlet so far, has
there been an occasion in which he was reported to have spoken at
a meeting at which the Europeans of Kenya were present. Th
e white
people’s opportunity came at Nyeri, when the Nyeri District Council
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Hari mundu uria uthomete uria Kinyatta erire Ikamba itura-ini -ria
Machakos nikuririkana ciugo ciake hindi iria erire eririri na akunya-
niri atiri: Ni hari na andu aingi ngoro ciao iratumatuma ikiuria riria
Kinyatta aririkia kwaria nigetha ndware uhoro ucio wake kuri mbari ya
Nyakeru. Agikimera ati we ndari na uhoro ekuhitha ni amu ona Mbari
ya Nyakeru mangiri ho, no oige o uguo ekuuga, tondu we ekwaria ma,
na mundu uria uhithaga uhoro ni muici na ni murogi, na Kinyatta ti
murogi na ti muici tondu ucio ndari na uhoro ekuhitha.
Uira wa ciugo icio niwonekire hindi io aragia kuu Nyeri. Tondu
hindi iria akinyire niakorire etereiruo o wega, na kuringana na uhoro
uria wandikitwo ni Muthuri mugathe ti Gacuru Ngorano thiini wa
Mumenyereri ya mweri 15th January, 1947. Niatuonetie ati ndeto cia
Kenyatta niciagegirie andu aingi aria maari ho, tondu woria ciari cia
ucamba. Tondu andu maarikia gukira aamerire atiri: Ruraya ni njui
guothe no ti bururi wa Angeretha wiki njui, no ni Europe yothe. Na
thiini wa mabururi macio ndi arata aingi no tutigite urata nao tondu
wa kumahenia no tugite urata nao tondu wa kwaria ma. Ndingimuhe
uhoro wothe wa Ruraya amu mwarara na muroke mutinde. Akiuga
ati andu aingi meciragia ati njukite na mbomu o ndona muthungu
ngamuikiria. Aca, uguo tiguo, kiria nii njukite nakio ni kihoto na nikio
njaragia, na tondu nii njaragia cararuku-ri ni amu ndituire kwa mundu-
ri na ni getha mumenye nii njaragia kihoto-ri, ingiuga comba uyu wi
haha niwatutunyire Githaka ndahenania? Andu othe makiuga aca. Ningi
igiuga nituimitwo micara miega ndahenania? Andu othe makiuga aca.
Ingiuga nituimitwo githomo ndahenania? Andu othe makiuga aca.
Agikiuga ati nii ndiri mundu thuire muiru, mweru kana mutune.
No riri, mundu thuire no mundu uria uregaga kihoto. Comba uugaga
ati ‘Ma ii ruo’ na ma io ii ruo niyo njaragia. Ithuothe turi ciana cia
Mwene-Nyaga, ingiita thakame na mucomba aite ndungimenya ya
Kinyatta na ya Mucomba.
Undu uria ingimagathira muno ni ati kwao nimaiguaine ota uria
kwiragwo gutiri Muthungu na Mubea. Ni wega na ithui Ciana cia
Mumbi tuiguane ithuothe.
Aarikia kwaria ndeto icio agicoka akira Ciana cia Mumbi ati monene
handu mari oiki. Na hindi iria andu meyamurire magithii handu hangi
akimatara na ciugo ici, akimera atiri:
‘Judasi uria wa tene ndari oima thi uria wendirie Jesu. Akiuria andu
atiri, amwendirie mbia kana ciringi? Andu makiuga ni ciringi. Nake
kenyatta is our reconciler
369
invited Kenyatta to come and address them. At the same time, the
Council invited some local Europeans who agreed to come to hear Jomo
Kenyatta themselves.
Anyone who has read the previous section on what he told the
Akamba people at Machakos will remember the words he directed at
the tribal informers 103 when he said that, even if the Europeans were standing there beside him at that meeting they would not prevent
him from saying what he wanted since, as he always spoke the truth,
he had nothing to hide. Th
e only people who were secretive were evil
witchdoctors and thieves. But since he was not one of them, he himself
had nothing to hide.
Th
e truth of that statement became clear when he spoke at this Nyeri
meeting. When he arrived, he found the people waiting for him were
in good heart and in cheerful mood. According to the report which Mr
Gachuru Ngorano sent to Mumenyereri, published in the issue of 15th
January 1947, Kenyatta amazed many of those at the meeting because
his words were brave in every respect. For when the crowd became
silent, Kenyatta said:
‘In Europe, I know many countries, not only Britain. I know about
all Europe, where I have a lot of friends. Th
ey did not become my
friends because I told them lies, but because they knew I always spoke
the truth.
‘I can’t tell you all about Europe, for otherwise you would have to
spend all night here, and tomorrow. Many people think that I’ve brought
with me some kind of bomb, which I’d throw at any European I meet.
No, that’s not so. What I have brought with me is an unanswerable
argument,104 and that is the truth I always speak. And because I speak
straightforwardly and outspokenly—since I am no man’s dependant
nor live in another’s home105—I’d like you to know the sort of truth I
speak by asking you these questions:
‘If I were to say that the white people who are sitting around us
here took away our tribal lands, would I be speaking the truth or tell-
ing lies?’ Th
e crowd answered with one voice that he would be telling
the truth.
‘If I were to say that we don’t get decent pay, would I be telling lies?’
Th
e crowd answered, ‘No’.
‘If I were to say that we don’t get good education, would I be telling
lies?’ Th
e crowd again answered again, ‘No’.
Th
en Kenyatta said to the crowd: ‘I hate no one, black, white, or red.
Th
e only person I hate is one who refuses to listen to the word of truth.
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agikimera ati Judasi endirie Jesu ciringi mirongo itatu na ari o haha
uumuthi’.
‘Ibuku riria muthomaga riugaga “Tia thoguo na nyukwa.” Tiai Gikuyu
na Mumbi nyina witu. Mundu uria umenete aciari ake niagiriiruo ni
gukua, niguo ibuku riu muthomaga riugaga. Mundu o wothe Mugikuyu
agiriiruo ni gutia Ngai na tiri uyu witu’.
‘Ithui turi itonga amu mundu o wothe gutiri utanginjira athii mucii.
Menyai gukoiga ingi ati muri athini Ngai ndakae kuigua ihoya riu’.
Kai mutathomaga wega ibuku riri amu riugaga Eri kana Atatu
makaagomana hamwe mahoe o kiria makahoya ni makaheo. Akoruo
uguo niguo-ri tecirie-i Gikuyu giothe kingiati ndini nyingi ni Th
uthi iria
ithecaga irio ciathii ikumbi. Ithui turi irio, ndini ni Th
uthi. Andu angi
mathoma na mamenya Githungu ona kinyinyi metaga aciari ao acenji.
Uguo ni kuhitia watho wa Ngai. Twagiriiruo tuoye maundu maitu maria
mega na maria moru tutige. Tungiiguana ithuothe, thutha wa miaka
ikumi gutiri undu tutangikoruo tuhitukitie wa kuguna Ruriri rwitu.
Agikinyia ndeto ciake hau. Tecirie wone kana Kinyatta ti Muigwithania
witu?
kenyatta is our reconciler
371
White people say: “Th
e truth hurts” and the truth that hurts is the sort
I usually speak. We are all children of Almighty God.106 If I were to
shed my blood, and the white man his, you could not tell which was
Kenyatta’s and which was the white man’s.
‘What I’d like to praise the white man for is that, at home, they are
very United—as we say: there is no [diff erence between a] White man
and a White Priest. It would be better if we the children of Mumbi, all
of us, were to be United.’
How the Old Judas still lives
Aft er saying this, Kenyatta told the children of Mumbi that he’d like to
talk to them alone. When the [whites] separated themselves and went
some distance away, he off ered them this advice:
‘Th
e old Judas107 has not left the Earth, and you know it was he who
sold Jesus. Th
en he asked the people: Did he sell Jesus in Shillings or
in some other money?’
Th
e people answered that he sold Jesus in Shillings. [Kenyatta] agreed
that Judas sold Jesus in Shillings—thirty shillings. ‘And he was here
today. Th
e book [Bible] you read tells you to honour your parents,
father and mother. You should therefore honour Gikuyu and Mumbi
who are your parents. Th
e man who hates his own parents ought to
die, and that is what that book says. Every member of the Kikuyu tribe
ought to respect and honour God, and the soil he gave us as ours.
‘We are all rich, because each one of you can tell me he’s going [to
his] home. Never again say that you are poor or God may not hear
your prayer. Don’t you read this book with understanding? For it tells
us: “When two or three persons meet together and pray for whatever
they want, it will be given to them.”108 If that’s true, just
imagine all
the Gikuyu praying together for what they want. But many religious
denominations are like weevils that destroy our grain when put into our
stores. We are the grain, the religious denominations are the weevils.109
For when some people get educated and learn how to speak a bit of
English, they call their parents savages or pagans. Th
at is to fail to obey
God’s law. We ought to pick up our good habits, and to get rid of bad
habits. If we were United, aft er ten years we would have achieved many
things of great benefi t to our people.’ Th
at was the end of his speech.
Just think and you would wonder, is Kenyatta not our own Unifi er?
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(18) Uria Kinyatta Erire Kirindi Mathako-ini ma Ndemwa Ithatu
Kiharo-ini gia Cukuru ya Mukui
Ni kwari na mathako ma Kiama kia Ndemwa ithatu kiharo-ini kia
Mukui. Nake Muthuri Mugathe ti Kinyatta ari ho. Hindi iria mathako
mathirire, Muthuri Mukumie ti Dedan Mugo wa Kimani akira kirindi
ati Muthuri Mugathe muno ti George K. Ndegwa niekuigwithia andu
gitumi kia Mathako macio.
George K. Ndegwa arugama akira andu gitumi kia Mathako macio
ati ni magukenanira na Muthuri ucio uraturaga Ruraya handu ha miaka
15. Akiigwithia andu ati Kinyatta ndathiite Ruraya tondu wa kwiririra
no makiria athiite gutetera mahataro ma ciana cia Gikuyu na Mumbi.
Agicoka agicokeria andu aria othe makinyite ngatho. Ningi akira andu
ati maririkane ati kamuingi koyaga ndiri, ona ningi maririkane ciugo
iria ciainiruo ati ‘Ndingitunvwo mwana ni hiti ng’eni’ ‘ona akimenyithia
andu gitumi kia Ndemwa ithatu.
Th
utha ucio niguo Njamba ya Ruriri rwitu ti Kinyatta arugamire
akiuga atiri.
Uria ngwenda kuga ni ati ndina gikeno tondu wa kuheo kahinda
gaka tondu hari ihinda ringi rihitukite nindetereiruo guku, no ndigana
kuona kahinda ga gukinya tondu woria mawira manyingihiire. Gikeno
giakwa-ri, ni andu aria mamenyagira magathiti-ini manyone na maitho,
ona angi ninjuui mokite mone kana nderu cia Kinyatta ciakinya muk-
onyo. Ni wega andu acio makihunie maitho mao. No hari muthemba wa
andu aria mekwenda kuigua tuundu tunini o hamwe na aria maciaritwo
kuuma ndathii ndenda kumamenyithia uhoro munyinyi.
Hihi andu riria mekuigua ati Kinyatta aikarite Ruraya miaka 15,
angi makoiga atiri, tondu Kinyatta ari kiguta gia kurima-ri nikio athire
Writing for Kenya Page 54
