Music has always been an efficacious tool for galvanizing communities, educating the masses, or just preserving its historical gems and tragedy in societies. This is certainly the case with Octopizzo’s new track ‘Tom Mboya’, released on June 5th, 2022 exactly 53 years after the brutal assassination of the globally celebrated Kenyan icon.
The five-minute track from the jump starts by reminding Kenyans and Africans in the continent how our people’s history has been twisted by imperialists, to suit their agenda.
‘‘Utaskia so sorry ukiskia hii story, juu history sio hii story. Walami waligeuzanga bana history na sio story.”
The Kibra Poetic Sage then unleashes his potent bars, describing the late Mboya as a soldier, an intellect, and a top scholar with outstanding traits that have missed in Kenyan leaders today.
”Tom Mboya, Tom Lawyer koth gowa. Tom scholar, intellect, my fighter. Tom konya coz these new niggas cant lead us. All my leaders die young, made me so afraid. The good die young, Is that what they say?”
Tom Mboya was murdered in Nairobi aged 39,a death that shook not only Kenya but also the African continent and the entire globe in 1969. He was one of the most progressive and a young promising leader of his time.
In 1960, the prestigious Time Magazine had Mboya as the first African on its cover as a person of the year. This was because of his impeccable achievements, rare intellect, and relentless fight for a proper and just world.
He drafted key documents and instruments that structured early Kenya. The Coat of Arms, Sessional Paper No 10, and Kenya’s first Economic Development Plan are among many of his works.
He was instrumental in helping Kenya attain its independence in 1963 as well as an admirable figure in the American Civil Rights Movement. Mboya worked tirelessly for Kenya’s independence, KANU primacy, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta’s power, and the privilege of the circle around him.
The first President, historians say nicknamed Mboya ‘Sungura Mjanja.’
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Through charm, intellect, persuasion, and sweat Mboya articulated the position of Mau Mau’s struggle for independence in the UK and the US. He won hearts by lobbying, working, and writing.
His famous and powerful pamphlet, “The Kenyan Question, An African Answer” is available to the public. Mboya shattered Robert Ruak’s racist propaganda novel against Mau Mau Kikuyus -“Something of Value”.
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His work in the Pan-African movement liberated Africans in the motherland and beyond. His passion pulsate for the return of land to Kikuyus and other Africans and was the principal author of “the Freedom Charter.”
Additional information from this piece was obtained from LUO EAST AFRICA.
