Lots of people may say things about former President Daniel Toriotich arap Moi. I was a kid without anyting by then. That was around 1993-1995. We just came in to Kakuma Refugee Camp next to Lodwar town. I was more luckier than the others. My cousin was a professor at Moi University so he brought me and my cousin to Eldoret. He wanted was best for us but he did not the money to put us into Moi Academy Primery School. We went to N'geria Primery instead. It was some distance away with muddy roads. I still feel the marks of those gumboots on my little legs. At N'geria, I found Mr. Isigi, a mean little teacher who never messed with time. "Shika Maskio"(that means squating and put your hands bewteejn your legs and try to reach your ears and then 5 to 10 canes will rain on your back. I love the feeling for some reasons. Maybe because I got used to pain as a lost Boy of Sudan or just because I had nothing to eat. No5hing was around. It was a perfect place to learn. That is when Maziwa ya Nyayo came in. One little box a day was enough. It went on for Months but had to leave and go back to the camp, women eh..we went to Kakuma inspired by Maziwa ya Nyayo and continued to work hard and got scholarships through JRS(Jesuit Refugee Services) and WUSC(World University Services of Canada). I'm now a Canadian thanks to Maziwa ya Nyayo and good teachers who taught me that love is not about making money, it is about human compassion. I used to stand up every morning singing the Kenyan Nation Anthem. I love Kenya but the police's "kitu kidogo" policy along Kitale-Lodwar road is hurting refugees. Road blocks after.road blocks and they are always asking for money. I hope things have changed since I left Kenya. President Moi, please DO NOT DIE until 2040. I remember after brother John Garang de Mabior died, I wanted to kill myself but I did not have the gut nor the tools to do it. Life is beautiful when human stupidity is at ease.
Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi. He is the embodiment of Kenyan history that is so grossly misunderstood. He is the beauty, innocence ans resilience of Kenya. Long live DTM, long live Kenya.
