Not all heroes wear capes. You don’t have to have a celebrity, some big-talk show host, a sports figure or even an army general leading troops into hostile territory to be a shujaa.
At the mention of shujaa, some heroes come to mind, like Dedan Kimathi who fought for independence. The late Kimani Maruge who at the age of 84, holds the Guinness World Record for being the oldest person to start primary school, also comes to mind. And who can forget, the Late Orie Rogo Manduli, the first Kenyan woman to participate in the East African Safari Rally in 1974 and 1975?
October 20th is Mashujaa Day, a national day that is observed as a public holiday to collectively honour all those who contributed to the struggle for Kenya’s independence and post-independence.
So, who then is a shujaa? A shujaa is a person who sacrifices his life for the greater good or one who inspires you to be better. It could be a former teacher or a boss who always has your best interests at heart. Or the old grannie who takes care of orphans in the village.
It could even be your parents, a neighbour, even your nanny who takes care of your kids while you’re busy at work. Nannies are the unsung heroes in the home. She’ll wake up before everyone and will most likely be the last person to go to bed. They work tirelessly under the most strenuous of conditions without complaining.
As with most nannies, what they do now is not their dream job. But they do it anyway. She may be had dreams of being a corporate executive or even something greater. And who knows she might as well be. This Shujaa Day, or any other day, surprise this unsung shujaa, with a goodie bag from KAPA, Rina, Rinsun cooking oils and a tub of Prestige Margarine that she can send back home to her parents.
How about the security guards who guard our homes? When everyone is in dreamland, they brave the cold, rain, mosquitoes and even intruders who may not have the best intentions. For them, tea and bread spread with Prestige Margarine can be a small way to appreciate them.
How should we honour shujaas? Tell us in the comment section.
