This day I just want to say Asante to people who helped me as a young boy chasing education find my way to ” Real Kenya ” as we referred to anything past Isiolo. While many of you would take moving from point A to B for granted, for many of us growing up in Marsabit it was quite a herculean task. With horrible road and without public Transport system even if you had the money its useless. You can get stranded in Isolo for even 10 days.
When you see my folks from Marsabit laud the new road, please understand us.
You can only relate if you travelled on the back of a lorry like this and many times with cows and goats.
This was my means of Transport my entire school days all the way to A Levels including my entire Utalii College study. My Utalii buddies when you used to see me smiling and happy you also elected me your Secretary General deep inside struggle was real getting to Nbi.
I salute the bus companies that tried to offer us this service but will give up due to terrible state of the road esp the Sunkar family. They tried and tried and tried.
Today I want to thank all the people who were kind to me and allowed me to ride on their lorry more often than not without asking for a dime.
Mohammed Chute , my Bro you always helped me . Galatum Aboles Gudah.
Big Bro Bali Salim. You helped on many occasions . May Allah grant you Jannatul Firdoush.
Soke Gudah ( you helped me on many occasions when stranded days on end trying to find means to go back to school . You never ever left me when you found me on the road trying to hike a lift)
Then Shore and Galle . Two brothers who always helped me all the time. I need to reach out to them . Been a while , what a gem two brothers.
Late Kenyatta bro to Mohamed Chute who lost his life through banditry on this same road. May Allah Grant you Jannatul Firdoush.
Late Godana Elisha ( who lost his life in a truck accident on this same road before it was fixed.) May your soul RIP Bro.
Late Sarbo you never ever declined to help me
Adher Abdulahi Dahir with his fuel tanker , he will always find me a place in the front cabin and that was indeed an upgrade to business class. May Allah Grant You Janatul Firdoush.
Thank you Abdalla Sheikh your family and Dad who was DC on several occasions you guys allowed me to ride in your landrover and that was quite a special treat and I will drop off at Sagana to take a matatu that will take me to Embu via Kerugoya and Kutus. (All this as a 13 , 14, 15 year old boy ) . May Allah Grant Mzee Ali Sheikh Jaanatul Firdoush.
My fellow Kenyans when you reach Isiolo we quip sasa tumefika Kenya.
To retired President Mwai Kibaki we cant thank you enough ..you hold a special place in the heart of my people in Marsabit. Hon Raila Odinga you also played your role in getting this done and of course current President Uhuru who made sure that the project continued past Merille all the way to Moyale. We were worried with exit of Kibaki what would happen …many may say it’s no big deal but for my people the worry was a big deal since we have seen so many project abandoned midstream.
To my people , please look after your road. Dont overload your trucks and destroy this road. Only us who know the pain.
To my fellow Kenyans we seek no sympathy and most of us have moved on but it is important you get to know these things .
Mohammed Hersi
Mombasa
