Page 99 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 4

FEATURES FEATURES

a little crowded and loud, but ing trees in Karura. In early ’99,
there’s enough space in there she and a group of supporters
for you to find some solace tried to access the forest and
in silence, should you need were attacked and injured by
some. Kenya Forest Service the men who had been appoint-
and Friends of Karura Forest ed to guard the site of a future
have worked hard to transform golf course there. The police
the environment into a safe and refused to do anything about
secure one, allowing you quiet it, but the incident had been
reflective time alone. If you captured on film and attract-
need a really good workout, you ed international attention and
will find a wide variety of terrain, triggered about eight months
suitable to your cross-country of student protests which were website, one is walking down
trek, ride or run. quelled using violence. Despite pathways of history, of victory,
The most enduring facet of their best efforts to the contrary, hard fought. One is sitting on
Karura Forest in Nairobi, is not the government retreated, but green lawns made possible by
its leafy green canopies and 2 years later, they backtracked great personal sacrifice and
wide open spaces for picnick- and began reallocations of for- fearless devotion that – in the
ing, nor is it the waterfall or the est land, sparking more protests era of the former President Moi
caves or the bats, nor is it the and multiple arrests of this bold – could so easily have become
massive old trees, quite hum- and courageous lady. something else. One is look-
bling in their stature… but it’s The end of 2002 saw a new ing at the determination of one
that Karura Forest stands as a regime sworn in under Mwai woman, the late Prof. Wangari
living monument to overcoming Kibaki. Maathai joined the gov- Maathai, who said, “No.” at a
oppression, bullies and greed ernment as Assistant Minister time when it was not ‘good’ for
in Afrika. It is impossible to visit for Environment and Natural one’s personal health to defy
Karura Forest without meditat- Resources. In the face of the those in leadership. Karura is
ing on the price that one woman looming changes that the Kibaki a bold and living testament of
paid to ensure its survival. government was going to make victory, in a world that – sadly
Nobel Laureate, Professor concerning illicit land alloca- – loves the idea of overcoming,
Wangari Maathai was one tions, developers started to rather than the price they would
fearless lioness when it came to drop their claims to allotments have to pay.
the fight against injustice. Many in Karura Forest. The land had So sip your cool drink after your
know her for her work in the been saved. quiet jog down wide earthen
environment, but she was ac- Now, when one walks through paths all you like – but consid-
tive and vocal on a wide variety what has been called ‘one of er that a woman stood in the
of issues of social and political the largest urban gazetted face of bulldozers and one of
nature that were affecting Ken- forests in the world’ according the most terrifying presidents
ya in her day. In a very difficult to the Kenya Forest Service in Afrika at the time, in order to
political environment, Professor allow you and your generations
Maathai was radical in her be- to come and enjoy quiet pas-
liefs and fervent in their pursuit, sage through. And ask yourself
and the fruit is well known. this one thing… if it was you
One of her most famous battles who was called upon to stand
involved the protection of this up for your generation and your
same Karura Forest. In 1998, nation, and for Afrika, would
she found out that the Moi led you? Will you?
government was planning to
take over huge swathes of pub- “He Who Plants Trees,
lic land in the forest and distrib- Extends Life On Earth.”
ute these to their supporters for -Samuel Phillips
private gain. She protested this
in writing and in action by plant-

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