The nagging question of the Nubian community in Kenya

SPECIAL
REPORT:
The
nagging question of the Nubian community in Kenya
By
Iddi Musyemi
Abdalla Sebi recalls the past as vividly as
his aging mind can. His audience is riveted on him as he recollects the bits
and pieces from back in the days.
Bit by bit he produces a picture of how his
community has been on the wrong ends with all the independent government
administrations of Kenya as long as they are concerned.
At 74 years old, you may dismiss his story
as falsified but he has the proof of his ordeals.
“I have this TLO letter which I was issued
with by PJ Browning,” he says holding out an aged A4 size white paper.
TLO stands for Temporary Land Occupation.
It is the colonial equivalent of Allotment letter issued by government to those
who wish to own a land.
In recognition of the Nubian community in
the service of British interests, PJ Browning who was the District Commissioner
in 1940s, issued the Nubian with land which they were to make their homes.
The occupation of these lands was deemed
temporary as the occupiers would be moved at the request of settlers then, Mzee
Sebi says.
Since then nothing of this community seems
to be permanent. They are always kept on the move in terms of land and
recognition of their status as Kenyan citizens.
The TLO letter, says Mzee Sebi, represents
their reserve land. He believes that like any other community in Kenya with
ancestral home, they should be given theirs where they were originally
allocated by the colonial administration in Kenya.
“Those who had small pieces of land measured
at least 3 acres,” he says. “But others had as much as 16 acres of land.
“Unfortunately during former president
Moi’s rule our lands were taken and given to squatters.”
Mzee remembers the year to be 1985 when
their lands were taken over by “squatters” forcing them to move into Nuru ya
Mbere village.
In his youth Abdalla Sebi worked as a
policeman. After retiring from the force he became a driver for a “foreigner’s
company” which he did till he retired due to age.
It was after this retirement that he went
back to the struggle for recognition of his rights and those of his Nubian
community.
“When I retired in 1992 we formed a group
to fight for our land rights,” he says.
But the old fighter has not limited his
struggles to land only.
He says he used to wonder whether the
government recognised them as Kenyans or foreigners. They pursued the
government on this question and were dismayed that during the clamour for the
constitution, their tribe was not listed in the Kenyan tribes.
“I think we are stateless because the
constitution does not recognise us,” he says.
During the last census, the whole community
as a group refused to be lumped in the “other” category as their tribe. It was
after threatening that they will not take part in the census exercise when the
Minister of State for Planning, National Development and Vision 2030, Wycliffe
Oparanya issued them with a letter of recognition.
“The letter promised that we would be
included in the constitution as the 43rd tribe.
“We were even given code 220 which at the
time looked like a step towards somewhere,” Sebi says but adds that nothing
more has ever happened again. Lines of disappointment run all over his face.
The current state of affairs has crippled
the community to a point they find it difficult to move forward.
They have to undergo a strenuous process of
vetting to be issued with identification cards. Those who “own” lands cannot
develop them since they cannot access loans in financial institutions to
develop themselves.
They are hardly employed in government
ministries or parastatal organisations. They are just out there on their own.
“Our children will suffer the worst if we
allow this situation to go on,” says frustrated Sebi.
Although their progress is in inches, they
are glad they are making a move.
Although few in number, significant size of
Nubians in Kenya are found in Kibera, Kibigori, Kisii, Kibos and Narok among
others. These places are where they settled in when they were brought to Kenya.
“I’ll thank God if I live to see my
citizenship right recognised,” says Sebi who is sliding into octogenarian.
He says it was a betrayal that his
grandfathers were abandoned by the colonial administration and hopes African
government are kind enough to remedy the situation.
He says he hopes to see the light of proper
citizenship before the light of day goes off on him.
“As long as I live I cannot give up on this
hope.”

Source- www.thenewdawn.info