Celebrating “Mashujaa Day” for the First Time

Sometimes, history is made under unlikely circumstances and the makers of history might as well evade attention at the time they are making history. Developments that might appear to be the product of instant thoughts could as well be part of a quiet campaign which might have gone unnoticed when the struggle was being waged. In fact, sometimes, the main heroes never even make it to newspaper headlines when time for celebration of the historical moments eventually arrive. The impending celebration of “Kenyatta Day” in Kenya is a case in point.

For many years, and since his arrival in Sweden, Mr. Joseph Munene (popularly known as Man Nzoro) has been campaigning for a name-change of Kenyatta Day to “Heroes Day” which in Swahili means “Mashujaa Day”. Man Nzoro has not been alone in this campaign. He has been part of a large number of Kenyans who have been of the opinion that “Kenyatta Day”, which falls on 20th October, was misnamed because the name suggests that honour should be bestowed on one person – the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta – who was Kenya’s first President.

According to Man Nzoro, many Kenyans died during the struggle against British colonialism and by changing Kenyatta Day to Mashujaa day, all those who lost their lives for the sake of Kenya’s freedom would be honoured collectively.

“Speaking to KSB, Mr. Munene said that be believes that “Kenyatta day” should be recognized as “Heroes day” in honour of all Kenyans who participated in the anti-colonial struggle in our country”, man Nzoro said in 2008.

For the first time in 46 years, the name “Kenyatta Day” will eventually be retired from the vocabulary of national days in Kenya to be replaced by “Mashujaa Day”, a new name which took effect following the successful writing and promulgation of a new Constitution in Kenya. For the first time, Kenyans will celebrate this big day with its appropriate name that rightfully represents and honours freedom fighters who made huge sacrifices so that our country could be free from colonial rule.

Kenyans, at home and abroad, who took their time to campaign for this name change through whatever means also need to be recognized for their effort. During the campaign, those who were in the front lines were called all sorts of names by tribalists who saw them as “anti-Kenya” or “anti-Kikuyu” simply because they were seeking to give October 20th its true meaning.

Kenyans still suffering under Neo-colonialism
Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya’s first President, hailed from the Kikuyu ethnic group but for those who wanted the name “Kenyatta Day” retained, the interpretation was that getting rid of Kenyatta Day also meant undermining the late “Father of the Nation” because this day belonged to him as the “Burning spear of the Nation”. Campaigners for a name change who hailed from other ethnic groups were accused of being tribalists because they were seen to have had an agenda of de-Kikuyunizing October 20th simply because Kenyatta was a Kikuyu.

On the other hand, members from the Kikuyu ethnic group who were also part of the name change campaign were seen by Kikuyu nationalists as “Anti-Kikuyu” while they were accused of betrayal of the “House of Mumbi” because they wanted to strip Kenyatta day of its “Mau Mau” element, a Movement which, despite its national profile, was mainly associated with the Kikuyu.

After 1963 and following the assassination of Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi, the Mau Mau leader who was betrayed and captured before being killed by the British, Kenyatta became the de facto leader of the Mau Mau and so divorcing his name from October 20th was anathema to those who were opposed to the name change. It is in this context that Man Nzoro also comes in.

In Stockholm, Man Nzoro met many obstacles. He was called names while he faced many accusations as he argued that the name “Mashujaa Day” was more fitting than Kenyatta Day because Kenya was not liberated by one person.

It is very positive that what began as an observation became a major subject of debate in Kenya and Diaspora before finding its way in the Constitutional writing process which eventually incorporated “Mashujaa Day” in the national calendar.

As we celebrate the first “Mashujaa Day” it is fitting to also send tribute to all Kenyans who fought for this name change which has now been entrenched into the Constitution. There is a lot that still needs to be accomplished in Kenya 46 years after Independence. However, recognizing fellow Kenyans who have been in this struggle is important because we are where we are because of the efforts of fellow Kenyans. Mashujaa day does not only mean recognizing contributions of fallen heroes and heroines. It also means recognizing the work being done in the current dispensation because the struggle is not yet over.

We are currently suffering under a vicious neo-colonial system that has enslaved us both mentally and economically in our own country. Forty six year after we were supposed to have been free, millions of our people are still; starving to death, without shelter, without clean drinking water, jobless, deprived, frustrated, exploited, abandoned by the government and living in absolute poverty as opposed to their subjugators and their agents who live in luxury as they loot the country’s wealth with impunity.

Kenyans need to celebrate Mashujaa Day with the knowledge that the efforts of our heroes who have gone before us will all be in vain if the generations which follow to do take up the mantle and continue with the struggle until the day when every Kenyan will be able to enjoy the right to food, clothing and shelter. We are at the stage where physical colonialism is gone but bondage of the oppressed classes remain. KSB takes this opportunity to congratulate Man Nzoro and his International team for a work well done.

Okoth Osewe

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