This archive report was first published on 19 October 2019.
Every year, Kenya celebrates its heroes on Mashujaa Day and Jamhuri Day, but the choices made are often a travesty of the true meaning of heroism. In 2017, the country was left questioning the criteria used to award the Head of State Commendation when a man known as Githeri Man received the honor.
Githeri Man's story was one of grass-to-grace, but it was his meme-worthy picture that made him a sensation. However, his achievement was not deserving of the title of hero, and it raised questions about the criteria used to award such honors.
True heroes are those who do something deserving, outstanding, courageous, and noble. In Kenya, there are many people who fit this description, including Eliud Kipchoge, who became the first human to run a marathon in under two hours, and Brigid Kosgei, who broke the world women's marathon record.
However, these heroes are often overlooked in favor of those who are more connected to the upper echelons of power. As one Twitter user pointed out, the criteria used to award such honors are often questionable, and it raises doubts about whether the awards truly deserve the awardees.
As media, we also play a role in creating these questionable heroes by shining a spotlight on them and making them famous. But in doing so, we often forget about the ordinary Kenyans who are making extraordinary sacrifices in silence.
One such hero is Mary, a woman from Kawangware who attends every funeral and wedding, even if she has to walk there. She wakes up every morning to pick tea to put food on the table and saves every shilling she can to contribute to her children's school repair kitty.
Mary and her husband Joseph are the kind of heroes that Christopher Reeves must have had in mind when he said that a hero is an ordinary person who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. Their resilience in the face of hedonistic political leadership, high taxation, corruption, and other problems is truly heroic.
