RACIAL SEGREGATION AT THE KENYA FERRY SERVICES- MOMBASA.
jambo,
jambo bwana....
hakuna matataaaa... (Mushrooms 1980)
When I was about to
say that we are beating neo-colonization, the ferry service at Mombasa proved
me wrong. Some policy makers decided to take us back to the era of
colonization, apartheid in South Africa and racial segregation. Unfortunately,
this time round it is being perpetuated by black Kenyans against fellow black
Kenyans.
So it goes that, the
Kenya ferry service at Mombasa has a policy that, white tourists should not
queue. Really? In this era? In my black ass Africa? This is an insult to who
bore me, who I am and who I will sire.
Quoting this source
This
came to the fore during an interview with a local daily paper, the Managing
Director of Kenya Ferry Service, Mr Bakari Gowa, said that white tourists are
allowed to pass unchecked and even to jump the queue whereas black and local
tourists are subjected to checks.
Honestly, for a single second I thought we were equal. Excuse my
memory lapse, I meant we were, we are and we will always be equal. The nonsense
about some people enjoying some privileges just because of the colour of their
skin should be castigated. Do we need to
remind these executives, or else educate them of something they don’t know? A Negro
once stood on a podium in a far off land. He knew that the odds were stacked
against him but still he had a dream. Dr. Martin Luther King jr had a dream on
08/23/1963 when he spoke of the fact that all men are equal despite the colour of their skins.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state
sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression,
will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my
four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be
judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one
day, down in
Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping
with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" --
one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able
to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today!
Nelson Mandela had these words for those who thought of a
superior race.
"Racism
is a blight on the human conscience. The idea that any people can be inferior
to another, to the point where those who consider themselves superior define
and treat the rest as sub-human, denies the humanity even of those who elevate
themselves to the status of gods." - Address to the UK's Joint Houses of
Parliament, July 11, 1996.
As it is, Kenyans, and all the people
of the beautiful black Mamba skin will
go on suffering whenever they use the ferry at Likoni. There is a policy
that, those of a lighter pigment shall not queue just because the management
thinks we’re lesser people. I am giving voice to Wanjiku, Kalekye, Adhiambo,
Fatuma,Kadze,Sanaipei etc
As it is, we have enough problems
dealing with tribalism, regionalism and nepotism.
Francis Imbuga once said in his play Betrayal in the city; Mosese:
it was better while we waited now we have nothing to look forward to….
WHO WILL SET THIS RIGHT?
If a person doesn’t want to miss a flight, the answer is simple. Get to
the ferry early. For the management, make the systems work efficiently.
nimemaliza
source http://www.thelyricarchive.com/song/1880405-243436/Jambo-Bwana
Them Mushrooms - Jambo Bwana lyrics
Jambo, jambo bwana /
Hello, Hello Mister
Habari gani, mzuri sana /
How are you? Very well.
Tuimbe tucheze sote /
Let us sing, let us all dance
Kiswahili ni lugha ya Africa /
Kiswahili is the language of Africa
Leo tufurahi hakuna matata /
Today let us be happy -- there are no problems
Reggae babu kubwa hakuna matuta /
Reggae is the godfather -- there are no problems
Burudani sali -- hakuna matuta /
The rhythm is good -- there are no problems
Aah tucheze sote -- hakuna matuta /
Aah, let's all dance -- there are no problems
Kiswahili ndlo lugha yetu ya Africa /
Kiswahili is our African language
Upende usipende utapenda kwa hakika /
Like it or not, you must like it
Michael Jackson kaimba Kiswahili /
Michael Jackson sang in Kiswahili
Lionel Richie kamfuata ni wa pili /
Lionel Richie was another one
Mukae vivyo hivyi siku zote kwa amani /
You should keep up that spirit always in peace
Maisha Africa yatakua na thamani /
Life in Africa will be of value
Tuimbe tucheze tuseme Kiswahili /
Let us sing, let us dance, let us speak Swahili
Supu ya uyoga ni tamu kwell kwell /
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