Saturday 9 July 2011

Of New Beginnings

Today is a big day. Its an important day, or so I think anyway. I have probably mentioned before that I am pretty young, in terms of age anyway. In my (x+y) years alive, I have not seen much happening around the world. You see when the world was changing and a global hegemony being established, I was less than half a decade old. When genocides happened and wars broke out, I was too young to understand it all. When Kenya became a multiparty state, I knew about it, only because my father and late uncle (God Rest his soul) were ecstatic about it. I remotely remember eating a cake on that day and a party of sorts happening... Or was that my birthday? Hmmmm! As I said, a lot of the events that have shaped and defined the international system happened when I was young and innocent. When all that mattered to me was my doll, my crayons, my break and skipping rope.

In my (x+y) years, I have seen America have their first black president, but only heard, again from my father about the Civil Rights Movement in the States so many years ago. I have also seen Africa have the first female president, mad props to Madam Sirleaf! I haven't seen much. Today, for me, is therefore an important day because I get to see a nation, South Sudan, get her independence after many long painful years of suffering!

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I have a dream to be a scholar in International Affairs & Relations; and today is a big day for me; although I doubt its not nearly as big for me as it is for the child soldiers, women, children and men of South Sudan who have lived through one and/or two wars/genocides, although I think the latter is more appropriate in this case.

I did not know of the Late John Garang, because when he changed the fate of Sudan I was young and oblivious, oblivious of the genocide in Sudan. I only hear of him. Heard of a man I think is a hero to the people of South Sudan and one who died too soon.

This is South Sudan now:







This post is for South Sudan and her people! Her people who had to convert to Islam to avoid death. Her people who suffered rape, violence, abduction of her children and other inhumane acts. 

Dear South Sudan, 

WELCOME TO AFRICA!!! Your arrival has been awaited with bated breath. Contrary to popular beliefs, Africa is not the land of poverty, disease & conflict. You arrive at a time of awakening within the continent. Beware of the West, they will be particularly interested in you because of Abyei. Learn from the never-ending woes of Somalia & D.R.C. Learn from Liberia & Sierra Leone. Learn from Kenya & Rwanda. Learn from the revolutions that took place in North Africa. Let not your failures conform to the cliche failures that associated with African nations! It takes time to grow... Just like a child, you will teeth - and it will hurt. You will fall head-first, but it shall not cause permanent brain damage. You will crawl before you learn to walk. You will put the cart before the horse, and try walking before you are strong enough to, and you will fall. Maybe bruise yourself a little bit. But you will be just fine. Eventually, you will learn to walk, then you will learn to jog, then to run, then to sprint like Bolt and one day you will fly! It takes time to grow. H.E. Kagame could give you a few tips on how to get back up. 

CONGRATULATIONS & HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Yours truly,
Excited Kenyan!

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