Do People from Mt Kenya Really Hate The Wazungus? Find Out From My Experience
By Comrade Albert Nyakundi Amenya
In 2004 when I was a newly ordained incept from Moi University Eldoret, and warming up for my MBA, I had an opportunity to serve as a factotum volunteer in Rafiki Foundation – an American NGO that foster orphaned youngsters Across Africa.
During my brief stay there, there is this spellbinding character by my brothers and sisters who worked for this NGO. These Mt. Kenya antecedents or scions as they rechristen themselves, berated the Wazungus, with the most classist, derogatory, body shaming and ultimately unguarded mesmerizing brickbats.
Funnily, there was this bespectacled stylistically nimble gentleman who doubled as an administrator in the Foundation. The bloke famously known as Mr. Mwaura buttressed his abhorrence for the Europeans and Americans respectively by affording me classical examples on how “those beasts†cruelly annexed their territories and subjugated their forefathers/mothers during the colonial era.
One day, word made rounds that home office, Rafiki Foundation Headquarters in Texas United States, wanted 6 Kenyans to go to labour abroad. 2 were to go and work in United Kingdom and the remaining 4 were United States bound.
Before it was officially announced, 101% of the Kikuyus working in the foundation had called at least 10 relatives to come and try their luck. Personally, I was disinterested albeit I was the most qualified.
My goodness, the snafu that was created was monumentally historical. The descendants of Mt. Kenya came from every nook and cranny; they came from Gatundu, Nyeri, Kangema, Kirinyaga, and other parts of the world. In fact, even those who had visited US and UK by invitation extemporarily came back so as to go back comfortably.
Mr. Mwaura had invited all his fairly educated relations. Strikingly, and during the interview day, he was smartly besuited ready for the interview. I looooked at him and asked him haha! “I thought Kikuyus hated wazungus with passion? Why are you dying to go to their countries if you detest them that much?†No sooner had I finished asking, than the man went ballistic and threatened to sponsor my sacking. From that day on, I discovered that Kikuyus hate the Wazungus with their mouths but love them with their hearts.
Leave a Reply