15 WEIRD FACTS ABOUT J. KENYATTA AND N. MANDELA:

WHERE THE RAIN STARTED BEATING KENYANS:

1.    When Mandela was seeking political asylum and a much needed protection from the apartheid government, he sought refuge in Kenya but Kenyatta's government shut him out forcing him to seek refuge in Tanzania. This explains why he (Mandela) never had a good relationship with Kenya from then.

2.        Kenyatta was born on 20^th Oct 1891 in Ichaweni, central Kenya and is considered as the country’s (Kenya’s) founding father.

Mandela N. on the other hand was born on 18^th July 1918 in Mvetso, Transkei South Africa and is considered the founding father of S. Africa.

3.      Kenyatta’s book, Facing Mount Kenya, was written for him by one Bronislaw Malinowski, his mentor at the London School of Economics and published in 1938. The book in totality focused purely on Kikuyu ethnic group and its culture…Kenyatta wrote nothing else after that.

Mandela’s first book, A Long Walk to Freedom, was written by Mandela himself while serving jail term in the Robben Islands. Published in 1995, the book focused on Mandela’s biography from his childhood to the day he was inaugurated as S. Africa’s first black president. Mandela published more than three books afterwards.

4.      Having been sponsored by members of the Kikuyu Central Association, (KCA) to study in the UK, Kenyatta returned to the country in 1946 and was elected chairman of the political party Kenya African Union, (KAU). He used his position to pursue diplomatic methods to fight for Kenya's independence and vehemently denied his being associated with MAU MAU.

On the other hand, Mandela attended Westeyan Missionary School, Clackebury Boarding Institute and later joined the University College of Port Hare (all in S. Africa), where he was appointed to the Student Representative Council (SRC) in his 2^nd year but declined. Later in 1942, he enrolled for a course in Law in the University of Witwatersrand where led non-violents acts of defiance against the S. African government.

5.      Kenyatta, together with 5 others,  was arrested in 1952 and jailed for 9 years in Kapenguria. They were released in 1951 and Kenyatta proceeded to be elected Chairman of KANU.

Mandela and his long time friend Oliver Tambo, together with some 150 supporters in 1956 and charged with treason. He was later arrested in 1961 and sentenced to 5 Years in prison but in 1963 he and ten others were tried again and sentenced to life imprisonment.

6.        Kenyatta was appointed Prime Minister for independent Kenya in 1963, by the then Queen Elizabeth of England. 

        While serving 18 years of his 27 years imprisonment in the Robben Islands, Mandela was able to get a degree in Law through a University of London correspondence programme. He was released in 1985 after the S. African government received immense international pressure to release him.  

7.      Kenyatta was crowned  was crowned president of the Republic of Kenya in 1964 and had Oginga Odinga as his Vice President.

Mandela was elected president of African National Congress, (ANC) with his long time friend Oliver Tambo being elected the countrywide chairman of the party in 1991.

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8.        As president of a virgin state, and as a norm for African leaders, Kenyatta didn't waste time to purge and part ways with his Vice. This was so in that Oginga had felt betrayed by the Kenyatta presidency; he himself having been told by the colonial powers to form a government but refused claiming that Kenyatta was the legitimate president and he would only form government with Kenyatta out of prison. Too bad by 1965, Oginga Odinga was out of government – forever.

Mandela was elected president of Independent S. Africa on 10^th May 1994 and kept his friends the likes of Tambo, Biko, and Tutu by his side all through his era as president.

9.       Kenyatta’s government was characterized by untold suffering of the meek, betrayal of the loyal, political assassination of dissidents, unreasonable gagging of the media, civil unrests, unwarranted land grabbing, ethnicity, patron-client relationships between leaders and those known to them and indescribable looting of public assets.

Mandela’s government was totally the opposite. During his presidency, he is known to having worked TIRELESSLY to protect the S. African economy from collapse through his famous Reconstruction and Development Plan. Moreover, he ensured unity in the Republic by preaching to his people to embrace oneness as he himself embraced all tribes and races in his government.

10.     Kenyatta stuck to power until his very old age. Word has it that he used to develop seizures on one too many occasions and had even collapsed at a Cabinet meeting once. That’s when internal wrangles started wrecking the then dominant KANU party with succession politics being the day's theme. Evidently mzee was dying and this caused rocking tension within and without the man-eat-man society. These events prompted the then Attorney General to rush into parliament a bill with such clauses as “it’s a crime punishable by death for one to imagine or perceive the death of the president…”

Patriot Mandela was in power for only one term and retired in 1999 having achieved what many leaders seem to take forever to achieve – UNITY of the polity regardless of race, gender, ethnic group or even age.

11.      In as much as the grooming of the current president of Kenya started quite early and was completely unpredictable, it’s all the open that the family is already charting its way to ensure that power remains within the household's grip.

The Mandela’s in South Africa are celebrated not only in Africa but all around the globe and are in no way likely to have one of their own in power because Tata started his journey and finished it a hero…Not like some people we know.

12.  Kenyatta died having not won anything/recognised by anyone with any reasonable accolade but angalau he managed to name almost everything tangible in the country after himself.

Mandela won the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize in 1994, and still wins more up to date . We ourselves still name our CHILDREN (not roads, airports and schools) after him.   

13.      Kenyatta spend most of his era amassing wealth and other assets and frequently visited his village in Central Kenya but at last, he collapsed and breathed his final while enjoying himself at state house Mombasa.

Mandela, after retirement from active politics established his foundation, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and went back to rest himself in his home village of Qunu in Transkei. Mandela on 5^th Dec 2013 succumbed to his long sickness having been hospitalised for lung infection.

14.     While the Kenyatta’s still hold both political and economic power in the country (ranked one of the richest families in Africa by Forbes magazine), the Mandela’s have shown no interest in neither political nor economic power. In fact, when Mandela’s will was publicised, I wasn’t surprised to find that the figure stood at a mere R 46m - and his family members and staff all had their names in the will...Show me anyone who can do that!  

15.    Many have never been able to understand how come J. Kenyatta was buried on public land (just outside parliament buildings) in the city of Nairobi. Noteworthy, moreso is the fact that up to date, his remains is guarded by heavily armed and dangerously looking officers from the Kenya Defence Forces!

Mandela, being a modest man, chose to be buried together with his forefathers and ancestors in the forests of a remote village called Qunu. I doubt if his remains is guarded  by anyone at all.

I guess the rain started beating Kenyans a long time ago…and we still keep ourselves out in the rain.