Michael Mundia Kamau
P.O. Box 58972
00200 City Square
Nairobi
Kenya

8th February 2004

 KOITALEL ARAP SAMOEI

Barnabas Bii's feature on the hunt for Orkoiyot Koitalel arap Samoei's
head
(http://www.eastandard.net/archives/February/mon02022004/headlines/news0202200405.htm),
appearing in the "East African Standard" of 2nd February 2004,
signifies the continuing quest of the Kenyan nation to reconstitute it's
forgotten heritage and history. This drive towards self awareness must be
fully encouraged because it holds the key to any meaningful progress in
Kenya.

The approach towards a nationwide renaissance ought however to be
approached pragmatically lest it causes more injury than good, in a nation
grappling with numerous problems. Less of an endeavour ought to be spent
on locating the legendary Orkoiyot's head than on providing food,
shelter and clothing for the vast majority of the Nandi and indeed Kenyans
at large. Less of an endeavour ought to be spent on locating the remains
of Mau Mau General, Dedan Kimathi, than on providing health care to the
vast majority of impoverished Kenyans. We must accept that we have been
careless with our heritage and amend this. We must also remain
cognisant and focused on the more pressing social ills that continue to bedevil
Kenya.

The greatness of men like Koitalel arap Samoei lies in this very fact.
They defied a system that threatened to consign their people to
subjugation and abject poverty. The cause is therefore far from being won, and
it would surely be the wish of Koitalel that we press forward with the
bigger cause and avoid distractions. It is a waste of time to try and
rekindle national pride in a country that has taken to the consumption
of cheap poisonous intoxicants packaged in equally cheap satchets. It is
a waste of time to preach patriotism to hordes of deprived Kenyan job
seekers. “Who is Koitalel ?”, they would definitely pose.

Were Koitalel alive today he would have been horrified and daunted by
the social time bomb that Kenya has evolved into. Koitalel arap Samoei
was not however a coward and he would have faced it and fought it, which
is what we ought to do if we truly want to honour his legacy. Koitalel
led a resistance that is the envy of nationalists the world over. A
memorial for Koitalel is a must in the long run, but for now, let us
continue with the fight from where Koitalel left it.



Michael Mundia Kamau