As we stand, we are stable because the ground we stand on December 12, 1963 [Excerpt]: Source - Gathering Seaweed: was pounded flat by the freedom fighters that came before African Prison Writing edited by Jack Mapanje us. Many of them lost the battle to the treacherous colonial In an address to the nation, President Jomo Kenyatta, aged governments and ravages of war. Many bowed to the will of 73 and known by his fellow Kikuyu as “Burning Spear”, called the colonialists simply so that they could live long enough to for tribal and racial differences to be buried in favour of take care of their families who hopefully would be smarter national unity under “the principles of democratic African and stronger than they were so that they could then fight.
socialism”.
Few were nimble enough to fight the colonists and the savage
“It is with great pride and pleasure that I receive these governments they represented. Even fewer were lucky, constitutional instruments today as the embodiment smart, wily and fiery enough to cow the colonialists. These, of Kenya’s freedom. This is the greatest day in Kenya’s scarce few ended up leading their respective countries history, and the happiest day of my life...Today we start on through independence 50 years ago. The world we know now the great adventure of building the Kenya nation...Today is nothing like they imagined in many ways but in a few it is is rightly a day of great rejoicing. But it must also be a day achingly similar.
of dedication. Freedom is a right and without it the dignity of man is violated. But freedom by itself is not enough...My Now and then the people are always in need of great friends we are now an independent nation and our destiny leaders who show the way forward in action and know what is henceforward in our own hands. I call on every Kenyan to to do or say to move nations of people to reach beyond join me today in this great adventure of nation building. In the their imaginations. Leaders need better inner-vision and spirit of HARAMBEE, let us work together so to mould our imagination than the people they lead. This is what Presidents country that it will set an example to the world in progress”
Nkrumah, Kenyatta and Lumumba had in spades and that is why we reflect on the speeches they made to their Patrice Lumumba’s Speech at Independence of Congo, June nations of people to inspire them to build to the Africa we 30, 1960 [Excerpt]: Source - http://www.friendsofthecongo.
have today. These speeches planted seeds on the fertile org/speeches.html
ground of hopeful Africans that had finally lived to achieve independence. As we stand on the ground that has been
“Men and women of the Congo,
prepared by 50 years of independence it is wise to look Victorious fighters for independence, today victorious, I greet back and be refreshed a new to keep pushing further by the you in the name of the Congolese Government. All of you, my powerful words of our leaders.
friends, who have fought tirelessly at our sides, I ask you to make this June 30, 1960, an illustrious date that you will Kwame Nkurumah’s Speech at Independence of Ghana, keep indelibly engraved in your hearts, a date of significance March 6, 1957 [Excerpt]: Source -http://www.bbc.co.uk/
of which you will teach to your children, so that they will make worldservice/focusonafrica/news/story/2007/02/070129_
known to their sons and to their grandchildren the glorious ghana50_independence_speech.shtml
history of our fight for liberty...The Republic of the Congo has been proclaimed, and our country is now in the hands of its
“At long last, the battle has ended! And thus Ghana, your own children.
beloved country is free forever….I want to take the opportunity to thank the chiefs and people of this country, the youth, the Together, my brothers, my sisters, we are going to begin a farmers, the women who have so nobly fought and won this new struggle, a sublime struggle, which will lead our country battle. Also I want to thank the valiant ex-servicemen who to peace, prosperity, and greatness...We are going to show have so co-operated with me in this mighty task of freeing the world what the black man can do when he works in our country from foreign rule and imperialism. ...– today –
freedom, and we are going to make of the Congo the center we must change our attitudes, our minds, we must realise of the sun’s radiance for all of Africa.
that from now on, we are no more a colonial but a free and independent people. Seeing you in this… it doesn’t matter We are going to keep watch over the lands of our country so how far my eye goes, I can see that you are here in your that they truly profit her children. We are going to restore millions and my last warning to you is that you are to stand ancient laws and make new ones which will be just and firm behind us so that we can prove to the world that when noble. We are going to put an end to suppression of free the African is given a chance he can show the world that he thought and see to it that all our citizens enjoy to the full is somebody! We have awakened. We will not sleep anymore.
the fundamental liberties foreseen in the Declaration of the Today, from now on, there is a new African in the world!”
Rights of Man [applause]. We are going to do away with all discrimination of every variety and assure for each and all the
“Our independence is meaningless unless it is linked up with position to which human dignity, work, and dedication entitles the total liberation of Africa.”
him...We are going to rule not by the peace of guns and bayonets but by a peace of the heart and the will [applause]...I Jomo Kenyatta’s Speech at Independence of Kenya, ask all of you to forget your tribal quarrels. They exhaust us.”