From: orina Nyamwamu
Mzalendo Kihara Peter Young, Fare thee well our Hero and Beacon of Hope in the struggle
NCA-NCEC sends condolences to the family, friends and patriotic citizens of Kenya for the loss of Mzalendo Peter Kihara Young. Kihara Young succumbed to cancer on September 26, 2010 at Nairobi Hospital at the age of 75.
Kihara young was a founder member of the National Convention Assembly (and its executive arm NCEC) in Limuru on April 4, 1997 when he with 2,000 other gallant democrats from all walks of life assembled in Limuru conference center to form the NCA Movement which has spearheaded the push for constitutional, political and policy reforms in Kenya since then until the victorious passage of the constitution at the referendum on August 4, 2010.
Kihara young’s Life has been a gift to the struggle to liberate Kenya from colonial subjugation, neo-colonial domination of Kenya and the misrule and plunder of our nation by the irresponsible ruling class that has run down our nation since our flag independence in 1963. For this heroic struggle Mzalendo Kihara, a young Mau Mau cadre was first detained by the British colonial administration in 1954, tortured and banished to Manyani. After independence, he joined forces with Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Bildad Kagia, Pio Gama De Pinto and other heroes of the democratic struggle to oppose the vile Kenyatta exploitation and betrayal of the people Kenya. Kenyatta’s administration responded to Peter Young’s uncompromising patriotism and dedication to the masses with cynical torture and repression. In 1969 he was arrested and tortured by the Kenyatta administration in Nyeri where he was buried neck-deep alive and there after burnt with cigarette buts and humiliated for 70 days before being sentenced to detention without trial for two years.
In the 1970s Peter Kihara Young teamed up with the pro-democracy forces in Kenya led by the likes of JM Kariuki, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and many others to oppose the backward and retrogressive Kenyatta economic and social policies. He suffered numerous arrests, intense harassment and pernicious state repression but remained consistent and unwavering.
At the height of the Moi administration’s repression and crackdown on all democratic voices in 1986, Mzalendo Young, a Mwakenya member and activist for democracy was once again, detained without trial, tortured in the macabre Nyayo torture chambers for 69 days before he was sentenced to four years imprisonment as a prisoner of conscience. This did not deter or weaken Kihara Young’s commitment and resolve to the emancipation of our nation from the evil and corrupt forces that were hell bent to destroy our nation. Upon his release from prison he joined forces with other Kenyans to form the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD). FORD became the movement and voice of the nation and pushed for the repeal of section 2A which heralded the return to multi-party politics in Kenya.
Multi-party politics was never going to be a panacea or sufficient in the struggle to build a strong democracy and a just Kenya and international society. Kihara young knew that multi-party politics without democratic governance was hollow. He therefore embarked with other Kenyans on the struggle to overhaul the Kenyatta-Moi constitutional dictatorship through enacting a democratic constitution in Kenya. This is how Peter Kihara young gave his last 20 years to the gallant struggle for a democratic constitution. Working with all democratic organizations and forums including RPP, NCA-NCEC, KHRC, 4Cs among others, He made his visible and deep contribution to building the social movements and the struggle.
This is how I met him in 1997 in Limuru and the subsequent NCEC rallies and forums to push for constitutional reform in Kenya. As the student Chairman of the Kenya Polytechnic Students Representative Council I was learning to study and know my history and my country and Kihara was always at hand to teach young people their history. In 1997 July, the Moi regime killed a total of 21 young Kenyans in several parts of Kenya for demanding for a new constitution. Kihara Young was part of the mobilization and activism for the birth of a new nation. He promised us that “Mapambano ni Maisha na lazima tushinde, lazima watu washinde”. He was so sure of what he was doing and he had been at this for so many decades I never saw a reason to doubt him. In 1999 at a RPP workshop with the tea farmers in Githunguri we worked with Mzalendo Kihara Young to galvanize and educate farmers to push for tea sector reforms which led to the KTDA being transformed into an Agency from an Authority.
When we formed the Kiambu People’s Forum in 2000 under NCA-NCEC, Kihara was on the fore front in organizing the people to resist repression and the corrupt government headed by KANU’s decadent rulers and to push for livelihoods and social justice in all sectors of the political economy. Ever since I knew him, he has never disappointed. He has always inspired and affirmed the right side of our history.
As we lay him to rest in his grave today the 6th of October, 2010, NCA-NCEC and in my personal capacity promises Kihara Young that we shall regroup and intensify the struggle for the full liberation of our nation. Comrade, We loved you, You loved us, we shall be eternally proud of you.
Aluta Continua
Cyprian Orina Nyamwamu
NCA-NCEC
October 6, 2010
From Dar es Salaam
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From: Absalom Birai Subject: 2 kinds of death!
Date: Wednesday, October 6, 2010, 8:18 AM
The Bible talks about 2 kinds of death(the death of a saint and the death of a sinner); One is precious before the eyes of God and the other one is very painful indeed. How do you mean?
Ecclesiastes 9:5 reads,” For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing;
they have no further reward,and even the memory of them is forgotten.” Yes,unfortunately due to the original sin, all human beings will die some day. So whether you like it or not and regardless of your status,some day,you will have to say good bye to this world.
Regarding the death of a saint or those who has fully surrendered their lives unto the Lord ship of the creator of the universe the Bible states, ” Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” (Psalms 116:15). Precious because they will rise again. Really? Here is what the Bible teaches,
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned” (John 5:28-29.)
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
So, if by the time of ones passing, he or she had already chosen Jesus Christ as his or her personal Savior,then there is no cause for alarm. Such a person has gone to sleep awaiting the resurrection morning.Hallelujah.
The kind of death that makes God sad and one that we all need to avoid, is the death of
a sinner.Our God is not interested with the death of a sinner. The Bible states:” Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?(Ezekiel 18:23).
If by the time of his or her death one had not set things right with his or her creator,then such is a sealed case. In other words, there is no atonement or redemption to a death sinner.No, not according to the Bible.
That is why you and I need to surrender our lives daily; daily because we have no idea when our lives on earth will come to an end.
With a determined effort to see many lost for ever,the devil deceives millions such that death catches then totally unaware. But you and I need not die as sinners. The good Lord wants to live with us for eternity. Its up to us to choose which kind of death we’ll die.
Even so Lord Jesus, please let me die as a saint. Help me to live each day as if it were my last day on earth. Amen and amen! How about you?
Pr Birai
www.pastorbirai.com