Was Tom Mboya really an exceptional man or was he just lionized and romanticized in death the way JFK was?
Was reading an article about him and was surprised to find a wealthy American actually requested that when he dies, he should be buried next to him (which he was):
I was trying to place this in the context of myself. When I die, I want to buried uko ocha. Is it possible that any of us can meet such an exceptional man from another country who impresses us so much that when we kick the bucket, we want to be buried next to him?
Tom Mboya was a singulary gifted individual not only was he a brilliant technocrat but a statesman as well. He was able to forge diplomatic relationships throughout the western world by his charm and charisma and his efforts at home laid the ground work for kenyan capitalism. Unfortunately the homeguards walimalisa yeye I wonder how much more he would had contributed … lakini yaliyo ndwele sipite
Some of these men were forward looking, people like Murumbi were genuine and smart
If people like Tom Mboya , Kibaki had taken over after independence or after Jomos Death, we would be far ahead…
Be that as it may, the old man had vision & that is way better than what you have or the fools you want to take over from Mr mnataka nifanye nini. Ni kama vile one governor anajenga hospital ya ki sure wakati mwengine ana launch staircase ama anajilaunch kama elder, that is the difference between Baba Jimmy and the three others.
This guy was exceptional no doubt. But exceptional to the point where a wealthy US citizen wants to be buried next to you?
Yani to me, this guy must have been extraodinary.
This is true and its very rare for someone to mix these two traits since being one generally militates you against being the other. Miguna is a technocrat but and idiotic statesman.
Chances and circumstances my friend. Moi was at the right place at the right time. Uhuru Kenyatta was born in the right family. Joined politics at the tender age of 41yrs, as a Presidential candidate, and 10yrs later he was President.
@Teddy_time I think you’re overvaluing the worth of the American, maybe a bit of (involuntary) inferiority complex there. It’s no surprise that a rich white man wants to be associate with a ‘great’ black man.
They (rich/poor) try to associate with blacks all the time :D, see Greece, Rome, all popular music etc.
To know that Tom Mboya was expectional, He was the MP Kamukunji Constituency, back when Kamukunji had 70% Mount Kenya voters, (1969 Census). He transcended ethnic, social class and race politics, making the Jomo Kenyatta kitchen cabinet jittery, He had to go when his excellency Jomo had a stroke in early 1969 and he was the heir apparent.
Thats not the point. What I am trying to hammer home here is a man who has made it in his country and is comfortable there would choose to be buried away from his family in a foreign country because he is very impressed with Mboya.
Lets also not forget that this is the 60s and a time at which America is undergoing its Civil rights movement so the Black man at the time was not seen in a very flattering light in the US (we see the same even today but it was much worse in the US at the time). This fact makes it even more interesting.
I am impressed with many people here and abroad but that does not mean I want to be buried next to them.