Does this mean Modi's diplomacy is working? Perhaps, but first he needs to give self-esteem to his own people by ensuring that more than 50% of them have the toilets they need to use.
Roland Francis Toronto. > On Jul 18, 2016, at 2:34 AM, Gabe Menezes <[email protected]> wrote: > > -- For the first time, the President of Kenya has offered such glowing > compliments about Kenya Indians and India. > > > REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY HON. UHURU KENYATTA, C.G.H., PRESIDENT AND > COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCES OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA DURING > STATE LUNCHEON - VISIT BY H.E. MR. NARENDRA MODI, PRIME MINISTER OF THE > REPUBLIC OF INDIA AT STATE HOUSE, NAIROBI > > DATE:11TH JULY, 2016 > > Your Excellency, the Right Honorable Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, > > Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, > > First, let me welcome, warmly welcome, Prime Minister Modi and our > distinguished guests from India. We are truly honoured to be hosting you, > and we hope that in spite of the cool July weather, you will enjoy the warm > hospitality of Kenyans. > > This visit is extremely significant for our country because our > connection to the people of India is historic. A casual observation of our > society betrays that our cultures have been in contact for a very long time. > > The Indian influence in Kenya is implicit in our food: in chappattis > and samosas, mahamri and chai; pilau and bhajjia. > > It is evident in our fashion as more African women embrace Indian > clothing and beauty practices, it is evident in the Swahili music of our > coastal regions and it is part of what makes many Indians feel at home when > they are in Kenya and vice versa, where our people experience some of the > same things they would at home: open-air markets, rickshaws, exquisite > crafts and, in general, the robust dynamism of an aspirational society. > > The reality is that our people and our cultures were interacting > centuries before our States even existed. If you’ll indulge me, I will > reflect, briefly on that contact. > > While we could well begin much earlier, allow me to start in 1896. > That was the year when about 32,000 Indians came to Kenya to build the > Kenya-Uganda Railway. They took on jobs as skilled labourers, artisans, > bricklayers, carpenters, plumbers, tailors, motor mechanics and electrical > fitters. > > They came in search of work, opportunity and food for their families, > and they worked under very difficult, very hostile conditions. Many fell > sick. Many were injured. Many died. But in enduring the hardship and > harrows of their work, they also left a lasting legacy: not just a railway > that has survived to-date, but a powerful national motto, inscribed on our > coat of arms, that is a tribute to the power of their collective > resilience: Harambee - derived from their work chant Hare Hare Ambeh. > > And then, when the Railway was finished in 1902, about 7,000 of those > workers stayed behind to build a future in East Africa. Many of them set up > small shops or dukas along the railway line and became dukawallas. While > working hard to eke out a living, these individuals passed on an inspiring > dogma of discipline and diligence which still defines the Indian-Kenyan > community even today. > > But it’s also important to remember that the Indian-Kenyans who made > this country their home did not just work to build themselves and their > families. They also sought, more broadly, to serve this country and support > their African peers. Indeed, they were central to liberation efforts and > many, many of them made great sacrifices to see this country set free. > > Makhan Singh, for instance, was the first person to call for an end to > British Rule. He fought tooth and nail for equal pay among black, European > and Indian workers, and he spent years in prison for his dissent. > > G.L. Vidyarthi, founded a newspaper—the Colonial Times—and used it as a > tool to challenge the colonialists cruel treatment of Kenyans who had > featured on the Front Lines of a war, which they knew little of but which > purported to serve humanity. He spoke truth to power and the British tried > and detained him for sedition. > > Pio Gama Pinto, chose to shun the comfort of silent commerce to speak out > against the injustice of imperialism and oppression. He was jailed for 5 > years. > > Lawyers like Diwan Chaman Lall, A.R Kapila, Fitz D’Souza and Jaswant Singh > represented my Father and the rest of the Kapenguria six when they were > imprisoned in the 1950s. > > Indeed, Kenya’s freedom fighters received support from thousands of miles > away, from the very highest levels of society in India. > > Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru—your Prime Minister of India—lent > incredible support to African Nationalists, and encouraged the Indian > community in Kenya to do the same. He understood the shared nature of the > struggle we were engaged in and for him, India’s freedom would only be > secured and strengthened by the freedom of African countries. > > I could go on and on. But the point is this: ultimately, this country was > forged not just through the blood and sweat and tears of Kenyan and African > freedom fighters, but on the sacrifices of many, many Kenyan-Indian freedom > fighters too. That makes our relationship to your country especially unique > and especially meaningful. That is why, no matter what trials we have > encountered over time, our bond still endures to-date. > > With your visit, we have an opportunity to anchor our relationship in > deeper waters and strengthen the connection between our people by expanding > our cooperation in trade and tourism, education and energy, sports and > culture, ICT, defense and health. Knowing that we are countries of like > mind and peoples of similar ambition, I am confident that our exchanges, > Excellency, will be prove fruitful and will secure favourable outcomes for > both our people. > > With those remarks, I invite everybody to be upstanding. I propose a toast: > > To the good health of His Excellency Prime Minister Narendra Modi > > To the deep and abiding friendship between the people of our two countries > > And to a future of shared prosperity and great partnership. > > Thank you. > > > DEV BOREM KORUM > > Gabe Menezes.
