From: Joram Ragem

Professor, Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai,

I have no right to tell you to go quietly into that dark night. All I ask is that you don’t give God a hard time about leaving parts of our land arid and semi arid. Just ask that he sends moderate and consistent rain. I promise, we will continue your work to plan trees …. .sob. As for Harambee Stars playing on your day, wasamehe tuu mama. When they bring us glory, we will call them Wangari Stars, and get rid of this word Harambee! And Mama Wangari, you don’t stop amazing us even in your silent moment. Who would have thought of the best way to get rid of Hyacinth but you dear professor. If we can use this weed to gloriously slide into heaven like you have, our Lake Victoria environment will be rid of this Mbuta chocking weed, we will save trees and we will create more jobs. When your ‘Hyacinth/Papyrus-Safari Rally Car’ reaches the Heavens Gate, Ask St Peter to order removal of Hell’s Gate from our country. September was particularly awful. I am sure he will ask God to do it in a minute since He will recognize the same Papyrus that saved Baby Moses when Miriam left him on River Nile, when Pharaoh was being mean. They will know this is the same weed from the same waters that saved our generation, and not the kind Pharaoh was smoking or the kind some of our politicians could doping on especially those who beat you up Mama! Mama, one last thing, if you chose to be laid to rest on the Hyacinth/Papyrus bed made from those whe ain’t your tribe and particularly, Luo Nyanza, yet you come from the Highlands of Mt Kenya, you have also ended this demon we call Tribalism. Please put in a good word for us up there. Kenyans are inherently good people.

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Joram Kaulikazi Ragem

wuod Ndinya, wuod Onam, wuod Amolo, wuod Owuoth, wuod Oganyo, wuod Mumbe, wuod Odongo, wuod Olwande, wuod Adhaya, wuod Ojuodhi, wuod Ragem (You may be my relative, but it matters less now. This is New Kenya!)