JAMILA’S MEMO: A letter to my grandmother

Dearest Ayeyo;

I am sure you are tired of all the talking that I do and would not like a very long letter. But some incidents have compelled me to write this letter. You have lived a long time, 93 years this June! This is a blessing as not many people are lucky to live to that ripe old age and have their loved ones around them. My mum, that is your daughter, my siblings and our children see you as the glue that holds the family together. You have lived through tragedies, buried many loved ones, but you are here with us; our grandma, Ayeyo.

I know you watch news sometimes, but you had better know where the mute button on the remote control is because watching news in Kenya has become a hazardous undertaking. And Ayeyo, I am not talking about the horrifying events in Shakahola because here we are guided by ethics and would not show the bodies or any gory images.

But I am worried and troubled when our leaders speak. Some of them when they open their mouths, it is the oral equivalent of showing you the contents of these horrifying mass graves in Malindi.

The language of our leaders is no longer a representation of their positions. They speak without care, they say what they want to say, not caring who is listening. From our gender to even our anatomy, everything is fair game these days. It can even be live on TV, even better for them! Most of these leaders are senior. Let me not mention names because I do not want them to feel victimised tonight, but they are really senior. They are in big government offices, including Parliament.

The other day i was shocked when some of them spoke in a demeaning way about a former First Lady. Ayeyo, I heard something like “ambia kijana wako,” you know it sounded like mzozo wa ploti.

Words matter, a lot, that is why we are sometimes told think first; just for a moment before saying some things. Kwa sababu maneno yakitoka kinywani, hayawezi kurudi; and these words matter even more when they are said by our leaders. You see, Ayeyo, you, our elders deserve respect and protection, always. No matter who you are now or were; heshima sio utumwa. And how we treat our elders is a reflection of us as a society.

Therefore, it is important to accord wazee wetu heshima yao, siku zote; and think first before we say anything negative about them, especially in public, before a crowd which may include some wazees. Reminds me of a proverb that I must have heard from you, which loosely translates to “those who respect the elderly pave their own road towards success.” And who does not want success?

And that is my memo.