AN
OPEN LETTER TO THE PEOPLE OF EAST AFRICA
I hope this finds you well
brothers, sisters, aunties and uncles, friends and friends spread across the
Eastern African region, the borders we have are only residual elements that our
minds are afraid to discard. We are one. We are many. We are linked by a common
destiny, a common past and a shared present. Our problems are the same; they
can only be solved by our collective actions. In mentioning the shared problems
I must pay tribute to the resilience and the undying spirit of the citizens of
the East Africa; from the terror that we have borne equally to how we deal with
the inevitable conflicts that characterize the human race. We need to realize
that indeed our destiny is one. The dreams you share has been envisioned in the
minds of millions of people across our region: the desire for progress. It has
been passed from generations and eras of yore, handed down through successive chiefdoms,
kingdoms, from undemocratic regimes to the current governments. The dream of a
unified East Africa has never been any clearer and more vivid than it is now.
Our progress and identity is
pegged on an almost similar or the same socialization process across the region.
The cultures we have, the societies spread over and not limited by lines and
borders drawn on maps. As kids we have played the same games, same childish
pranks and dreamt of the same terrains and environment. Sang and danced to the same
songs from the late cool James (motto wa dando) in Tanzania to Saida Caroli in
Uganda to Daudi kabaka and Fundi Konde to the current artists like AY and
Jaguar singing Vuka Border, from Ray-c, Jaydee, Wahu, Size 8, Chameleon, Bebe
cool, peter miles and Ali kiba. We even speak the same language!!.
We have grown up reading the same books from Kenya’s Grace
Ogot and Ngugi wa Thiongo to Tom Chacha of Tanzania and Barbara kimenye in
Uganda with her amongst others the children’s Moses series, the vividness and
the familiarity of Barbara’s fictional school ‘’The Mukibi Institute for the
Sons of African Gentlemen’’ one school that I wanted to attend from these Ugandan
tales.
From Eneriko Seruma of Uganda and the teachings of Peter John
Bosco of Tanzania whose words in his short story ‘’Transition” explains greatly
a context similar to what the EAC people are undergoing today……
‘’ the
difficulty of the period of transition! The suffering of the generation in
transition! It had never once occurred to him that the policy directed at
changing the life of poverty and misery to that promising affluence and
betterment could also mean disillusionment and disappointment- even to the ones
it was supposed to benefit. If this was being experienced in all the other
parts of the country, then the dream that had been so vivid and real in his
imagination and the imagination of his friends back at school, would be much
more difficult to realize than they had known. The leap from today into
tomorrow was going to be much more difficult than they had known and a difficult
feat to perform.’’
We are on the verge of take off. We can achieve a lot together.
We are our only true relatives if states have kin or anything as blood
relations. We are in-laws. We have always looked to one another when faced by
hard times, we can work together, we can pull through, rise over the jeer of skeptics
who are trying to shoot down our dreams of a political federation! We need not
be afraid to try and implement ideas that work. Self doubt sometimes can creep
and disillusion a lifelong dream, 1977 is a lesson that we have learnt from. That
the destiny’s of the millions of us are much more important than a few political
elements in the name of belligerent rebels and rogue politicians who are wont
to create fear and in the process derail the whole integration process. These enemies
of east Africa pry on our ignorance, on the apathy that characterizes our
engagement in the EAC integration process. Take an initiative and learn more on
the EAC integration process.
The task is indeed enormous but the rewards are also
unmatched. Despite the challenges that may make the ultimate goal of political federation
like an impossible endeavor, we should note that it is not beyond our
capabilities, if we have the will, the right political atmosphere and a conscious
mass involved at every level and our respective states are willing to make a
few sacrifices, this goal will be achieved in just a few years.
We need to continue with the integration process at all
levels, streamlining the different sectors in areas such as education, health,
security. Take education for example- the same academic system will entail
things as same number of school years, same academic syllabus. My roommate schooled
in Uganda for his high school and speaks with nostalgia when he remembers his
time in Uganda- he had taken it as his home and the people there were not any
different from his next door neighbors.
That time is now, dear people of East Africa. We have seen
it and we can achieve it.
The journey to the
East African Integration is on course. Engage with others that share the same visions
for East Africa on the facebook page connect, vuka border.
Useful sites that will help you take the first step in a new
active participation in the EAC integration process include:
Kenya
AFRICAN UNION
Jumuiya website
follow EAC -Africa Mashariki on twitter for updates
While at this also take a few seconds to sign the ongoing
petition by various Kenyan University students to have their respective
universities introduce EAC week in their academic calendar.
