Abasuba elders want Tom Mboya honoured posthumously

Elders of the Abasuba were pointing at the grave of former freedom fighter the late Tom Mboya in Rusinga Island, Mbita Sub-county. The elders want the government to hononour freedom fighter, the late Tom Mboya posthumously in this year’s Mashujaa Day celebration [James Omoro-Standard].

Elders of the Abasuba community want the government to honour freedom fighter, the late Tom Mboya posthumously in this year’s Mashujaa Day celebration.

Through the Suba Council of Elders, the senior citizens said Tom Mboya made significant contributions in laying the foundation for development in this country.

However, their concern is that the late Mboya is hardly recognized for his contribution to what enabled Kenya what it is today.

Speaking during a visit to Tom Mboya’s grave and his father’s family in Rusinga Island, Mbita Sub-county, the elders said President William Ruto should ensure Mboya is honoured.

The Co-ordinator of the Suba Council of Elders, Prof Medo Misama, said many Kenyans who contributed to freedom of this country had been given various honours by the State posthumously. But Mboya had lacked any honour since his death in 1969.

“Many people have been given honours like chief of golden heart or elder of the golden heart by the government of Kenya. But nothing has been given to Tom Mboya even posthumously,” Prof Misama said.

Misama mentioned the Airlift programme which Mboya carried out to support individuals from various communities in Kenya to pursue academic programmes in the United States of America as one of his remarkable contributions to development.

He argued that Mboya went out of his way to transform the lives of Kenyans using the programme.

“The Airlift Programme was a game changer for Kenyans from various ethnic groups. Mboya was a nationalist and did not consider only member of his tribe only in the programme,” Misama said.

He said Mboya was one the leaders who conceptualized the construction of the Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC) in Nairobi. Other contributions included infrastructural development and starting learning institutions during the formative stage of formal education in Kenya.

He said the recognition should also include supporting Tom Mboya’s family.

“Mboya did a lot of things which will be forgotten if he is not honoured posthumously. We appeal to the government to honour him,” Prof Misama said.

The elders also petitioned Homa Bay County Commissioner Ronald Mwiwawi to hold this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations at Tom Mboya Mausoleum

Jacob Nyang’or, the chairman of the Mediation Team in Suba Council of Elders said holding the celebration at the mausoleum will enhance Mboya’s recognition.

“Our concern as a community is that the names of our sons like Mboya who made significant contributions to the development of this country are fading. We want this year’s Mashujaa Day held at his mausoleum,” Nyang’or said.

 The Suba Council of Elders Chairman Peter Odede said Mboya contributed to political development in East Africa too.

“Mboya was a pan Africanist and he deserves recognition,” Odede said.

Evance Oloo, a member of Council said the government should also build Mboya’s statue in Rusinga Island too.

Oloo urged the government to take the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) services to the mausoleum.

He expressed that there was no proper maintenance of the mausoleum.

“We appeal to President Ruto to bring services of the NMK to Tom Mboya Mausoleum,” Oloo said.