MAY 2014 BE THE YEAR OF WOMEN AND NORTHERN KENYA

2014 is here with us. Northern Kenya is still crying. Bloodshed continues. Cries of hungry babies can be heard all over this place. Leaders are shouting and blaming the gods and men. The hoi polloi  agrees with this rhetoric. They too have joined the choir. They sing and dance. Then they retreat to their villages to wait for another day. And life continues.

Calm down and get this. The key to unlocking the potential in northern Kenya rests with its women. They are the biblical Joshua to guide the Children of Northern Kenya to the Promised Land. They have the energies to effect this. And they have done it. Look at these:

Hon Joyce Emanikor

You want to know her? Listen to what she says and you will agree with me that the future for Turkana County is brighter. This Winnie of Turkana County has great plans for her people. She is a lioness with a heart for her children. 

She thinks and follows her thoughts. She listens and learns from everybody, opponents and supporters alike. She discriminates not. I find her the ideal peace maker that Turkana and Northern Kenya has been waiting for. Jump into action mama. The field is yours!

Tecla Loroupe

This daughter of West Pokot simplifies the role of women in impoverished and "locked" communities. Pomposity and showing off don't exist in her vocabulary. I call her the Mother Teresa of Northern Kenya. 

Her love for education is unrivaled. Her travails transcend the boundaries of her mother land. She is a woman in a mission. She bridges rifts created by conflicts. She has set the revolutionary ball rolling. 

Tecla blends with the crawling mothers of northern Kenya. She sings their songs and eats their food but thinks differently, with a view to improving the lives of the many. 

The single mothers of northern Kenya

This is another forgotten lot. They are a product of conflicts and droughts. I admire their resilience and courage. Their philosophy is that of turning impossibilities into possibilities. They have educated their kids, supported their families and strengthened the village economies. 

They are outgoing and full of ideas. Humbleness is their greatest companion. They have mastered the art of learning first and fast. But they are thirsty of one thing: a little financial push!

My mother - Mama Moses

I know her as a stern and perfectionist woman. She drills sense into you in style. She fears not to point any wrongs in you. I love and respect her for the far she has steered us. She taught us how to think and share. May God prolong her days in this world to see the good tidings of her work. I love you mama!

May northern Kenya discover the wealth in her women. I have deep conviction that long lasting peace and development in northern Kenya can be found with the involvement of women. I pray that this year becomes the year of women and northern Kenya. God bless my people!

Twitter: @mlemukol