Let the Words of the Kenyan National Anthem Rule Today.
Let me write for us the Kenyan National Anthem first before I can tell you why I am calling for its keen consideration today:
Kiswahili
1.
E mungu nguvu yetu,
Ilete baraka kwetu
Haki iwe ngao na mlinzi
Na tukae na undugu
Amani na uhuru
Raha na tupate na ustawi.
2.
Amkeni ndugu zetu
Tufanye sote bidii
Nasi tujitoe kwa nguvu
Nchi yetu ya Kenya
Tunayoipenda
Tuwe tayari kuilinda.
3.
Na tujenge taifa letu
Kenya istahili heshima
Tuungane mikono
Pamoja kazini
Kila siku tuwe na shukrani.
English
1.
O God of all creation
Bless this our land and nation
Justice be our shield and defender
May we dwell in unity
Peace and liberty
Plenty be found within our borders.
2.
Let one and all arise
With our hearts both
Strong and true
Service be our earnest
Endeavor
And our homeland of
Kenya
Heritage of splendor
Firm may we stand to
defend.
3.
Let all with one accord
In common bond
United
Build this our nation
Together
And the glory of Kenya
The fruit of our labour
Fill every heart with
Thanksgiving.
Today the 9th of August 2022 marks yet another important milestone in the democracy of our country Kenya. It is one of those momentous points in our nation’s history that defines us, especially our spirit of waking up early in the morning to go cast our vote.
But even as we do so, I call upon every one of us to be guided by the word of our national anthem even as queue and endure the long agonizing waits to exercise one of our most revered civic rights which double up as our responsibility.
In the first stanza of the national anthem lies a gem so great to cherish. Besides our prayer to God to bless our great nation and desiring that justice is our shield and defender, we wish to dwell in unity peace, and liberty.
And from the last statement comes the rallying call today. That of letting that be our identity and tasking ourselves to ensure we remain true to those dictates. As we go about casting our votes, let those words ring in our minds as a bell.
My second plea has to do with the rallying call to all of us to go out in large numbers in this historic moment to choose our leaders. It is important to realize that every vote counts and that we choose our leaders wisely because they determine how the economy is run.
Yesterday I eavesdropped at a mama mboga who said she wouldn’t vote because the elected leader would not come to take out of the mboga business to a better form of employment. I stood there for a moment and wondered what sort of understanding we have about political leadership partly tainted by the so-called politicians themselves.
Whether she likes it or not, the type of leaders elected will determine a lot of things in this mama mboga’s quality of life from today going forward. To, at least, cushion herself from blaming herself for failing in the future; it would be prudent for her and you and everyone else to go vote today.
The future is in our hands, and we must ensure that that future is insured and safeguarded. We can only do that by choosing our leaders and choosing them wisely. And we do so, we should respect the fundamental right of others regarding their choice of leaders.
In simple terms, let us sail through this electioneering period peacefully and with tolerance for those with whom we don’t share the same political opinion. At the end of this period, it will be us again.
