It is a pleasant thing to exist when one's country is celebrating 50 years of independence. the pleasant feeling is that there are people around you who existed by the time of idenpendence, you can easily identify with their hopes and fears before independence.
When I move around asking them about what they felt many people tell me that they did not even understand the meaning of what they were requesting. Some never understood the meaning of it all because they did not know what would happen and how it would. Some feared the unknown, the uncertainty and of just like now, people are not sure what will happen in the second half of the century we will be starting on 1st Jully 2010.
But, when I look at all that has happened, I only get to understand that the people who existed before independence wished that we achieve more than what they had done. Not be independent only but they wanted us to be independent so that we could live free and open to the rest of the world. Until now, they are still urging us to build a better country than that they left us to inherit.
When we look back to what they left us, Congo's economy was equalling that of many other countries known now as world economic powers. And I believe that as we are still ranked among the most poor on this planet, we must admit that we have failed our ancestors who fought for independence.
I am launching a new initiative called: Twajenga Taifa Bora. this means, we are building a better country and that means we are doing it now. Not tomorrow or after tomorrow.
I am inviting all the friends of the Congo, the Clubs of friends of Mwema Ndungo, and all Congolese to participate in this new initiative.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Tonight, I am humbled to stand before you and about a campaign. This campaign is not about running for president, or parliament, or counsellor. This campaign is about building the peace that you want to see in Kenya.
It is true that Kenya was known as one of the most peaceful countries in Africa but now it isn’t.
It isn’t because we never realized how fake that peace was. We never realized how fragile that situation was and of course for some people, it is hard to realize even how screwed the actual situation of peace is.
Nowadays just like many times ago, people laugh with and smile at each other but hiding pangas on their backs. They hug each other with one hand while the other hand was reaching out to a spear. People joke about each others values but only to realize that they mean it. People say “I love you” just like in drama where we say it without meaning it.
And now I have one question for you.
Is that the peace you want to see?
The peace in which people believe that leadership is only for the benefit of some and not of everybody.
The peace in which people do not believe in equal opportunity, where they believe that they are given only one shot when others are given ten.
Is this the peace you want to see?
The peace in which people are filled with hatred towards their neighbours
The peace in which everybody has got to watch his own back because there is no friendship
Is that the peace you want to see?
The peace in which everybody is waiting for an opportunity to hit the person he or she is laughing with right now.
I believe not. That is not the peace you want to see. That is definitely not the peace you want to build and that is not the peace that can last forever.
Today, we are dedicated to place the first stone and start building the peace that we want to see in Kenya.
The peace in which our smiles mean what we feel for each other.
The peace in which we have the liberty to disagree, and sit on the same table to look for a common ground
The peace in which our patriotism goes beyond our tribalism
The peace in which we are able to embrace brotherhood and acceptance for each other
The peace in which we will be able to achieve the vision 2030
But one thing is sure we cannot do it except if we learn how to do it. The peace that makes us one nation, create a way for one dream, cannot be picked anywhere. We need to learn how to do it, how to make our differences our strength.
I know that it is easy to say than it is to do. Just like building, you cannot build lasting house unless you are taught how to build. That is the case with lasting peace you cannot build it unless you are taught how to.
As we all know, if you participate to a one hour class you cannot be able to build a skyscraper, you have to be taught through a process. That is why we have decided that for the next six months, we will walk around Kenya to make sure people in every corner understand how to make peace sustainable. To keep the fire burning and we cannot do it without you.
Tonight, you have shown your commitment. It has proved that we all think about peace and believe it should be restored to the people of Kenya. That is why I am asking you to stand with us, to walk with us every step of the way and help us train the youth of this country. I would love to tell you something. There is nothing like doing nothing. If you will not help us, one thing you need to know is that you are blocking the message of peace. That is why for those of you who will not be able to travel with us as we bring the teaching to every corner of this country; we demand that you help us with a simple talking to your neighbour.
At the end of this campaign, we have planned to show our commitment to building peace and we will set an example to the coming generations and to all the youths of Africa. We will build three peace villages in Kenya. Those peace villages will stand as the most powerful symbol of the commitment of the Kenyan youth to peace.
To the peace that goes beyond ethnic lines, beyond religious beliefs and of course beyond our social status. It is in this campaign that the people will not be proud either to ride in the most expensive cars or feel shame of walking on foot. But they will touch each other’s hands and be proud to belong to the same nation, to sing the same national anthem, and believe to achieve the same dream (the vision 2030.)
A day is coming. It is a day when all Kenyans will stand together and sing, “Unity, peace and liberty” to mean what it really is. It will be the day when we will all see the shield, the two spears, the black, the green, the red, the white and give to it the same meaning: Our national flag. It is a day when Kenyans will understand that we are bound by our past and cannot be separated by our future. That day comes, six months from now. I hope to see it and I hope to see you in this journey towards that day.
God bless you and God bless Kenya.
Thank you.
"Experience is the foundation of leadership. Obligation to the people take precedence to loyalty to an individual."
NELSON MANDELA
"One of the most important characteristics of successful administrators in all types of organizations is the ability to make the right decision more often than the wrong one when confronted with insufficient information."
BRUCE F. BAIRD
"The man who insist upon seeing with perfect clearness before he decides, never decides"
FREDERIC AMIEL
Isn't time to give a chance?
To the period of a white flag
As we are tired of this tug
It is time to get real change
We have so much shame
For the rape of our sisters and mothers
We cannot look at our fathers
For we are all worth blame
As young men, it is our duty
To clean our old behaviour
Because it is so much dirty
Let us build for new generations
A foundation for a strong nation
Where shall flourish Human Right
The night has grown old
It is time to wake up
The night was so cold
But light has come up
It is time to labour
Involving also the neighbour
To build peace and love
To fight for it like the last brave
We cannot keep the status quo
If it does not help us to live
And to express what we believe
Let us now take action
For we are the only solution
To the problems of our world.
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