From death row to law graduate | Peter Ouko

Translator: Nelson Simfukwe Reviewer: Joachim Mangilima

I want to tell you a story about Manson.

Nataka niwaambie hadithi inayomuhusu Manson.

Manson was this 28-year-old interior designer,

Manson alikuwa mpamba mandhari ya ndani ya nyumba mwenye miaka 28,

a father to a loving daughter,

baba mwenye binti anayempenda,

and a son

na mvulana

who found himself behind bars due to a broken-down judicial system.

aliyejikuta akiingia jela kutokana na mfumo mbovu wa mahakama.

He was framed for a murder he didn't commit

Alisingiziwa mauaji ambayo hakuyatenda

and was sentenced to the gallows.

na kuhukumiwa kunyongwa.

There were two victims of this murder -- the victim who actually died in the murder

Walikuwepo wahanga wawili wa mauaji haya --mhanga mmoja aliyefariki kwenye mauaji

and Manson, who had been sentenced to prison

na Manson, ambaye alifungwa gerezani

for an offense which he did not commit.

kwa kosa ambalo hakutenda.

He was locked up in a cell, eight by seven,

Aliwekwa kwenye chumba cha jela, nane kwa saba,

with 13 other grown-up men

na watu wazima wengine 13

for 23 and a half hours a day.

kwa masaa 23 na nusu kwa siku.

Food was not guaranteed that you'd get.

Hakukuwa na uhakika wa kupata chakula.

And I remember yesterday,

Na nakumbuka jana,

as I walked into the room where I was,

nikiwa naingia kwenye chumba ambacho nilikuwepo,

I imagined the kind of cell that Manson would have been living in.

Nilitafakari namna chumba cha jela ambacho Manson alikuwa akiishi.

Because the toilet --

Kwa sababu msalani --

The row of the small rooms

Mstari wa vyumba vidogo

that were there were slightly bigger than the eight-by-seven cell.

uliokuwepo pale ulikuwa mkubwa kidogo zaidi ya chumba cha jela cha ukubwa wa nane kwa saba.

But being in that cell as he awaited the executioner --

Lakini kuwepo ndani ya jela ile akimsubiri mnyongaji --

because in prison, he did not have a name --

kwa sababu ndani ya jela, hakuwa na jina --

Manson was known by a number.

Manson alikuwa akijulikana kwa namba.

He was just a statistic.

Alikuwa ni moja ya takwimu.

He did not know how long he would wait.

Hakujua ni kwa muda gani angesubiri.

The wait could have been a minute,

Muda wa kusubiri ungewezekana kuwa dakika,

the executioner could have come the next minute,

mnyongaji angeweza kuja dakika inayofuata,

the next day,

siku inayofuata,

or it could have taken 30 years.

au ingechukua miaka 30.

The wait had no end.

Ngoja ngoja haikuwa na mwisho.

And in the midst of the excruciating pain,

Na katika maumivu makali ya uchungu,

the mental torture,

mateso ya kiakili,

the many unanswered questions that Manson faced,

maswali mengi yasiyo na majibu aliyokumbana nayo Manson,

he knew he was not going to play the victim.

alijua kwamba hatotakiwa kuwa mhanga.

He refused to play the role of the victim.

Alikataa kuwa mhanga.

He was angry at the justice system that had put him behind bars.

Alighadhabishwa na mfumo wa mahakama uliomuingiza jela.

But he knew the only way he could change that justice system

Lakini aligundua kwamba njia pekee ya kubadili mfumo wa haki

or help other people get justice

au kusaidia wengine kupata haki

was not to play the victim.

ni kukataa kuwa mhanga.

Change came to Manson when he decided to embrace forgiveness

Mabadiliko yalikuja kwa Manson alipoamua kujifunza kusamehe

for those who had put him in prison.

kwa wale waliomuingiza jela.

I speak that as a fact.

Naongea hilo likiwa ni ukweli.

Because I know who Manson is.

Kwa sababu namfahamu Manson.

I am Manson.

Mimi ni Manson.

My real name is Peter Manson Ouko.

Jina langu halisi ni Peter Manson Ouko.

And after my conviction,

Na baada ya hukumu yangu,

after that awakening of forgiveness,

baada ya kupata uamsho wa kusamehe,

I had this move

Nilisonga mbele

to help change the system.

katika kusaidia kubadili mfumo.

I already decided I was not going to be a victim anymore.

Nilishaamua kwamba sitakuwa mhanga tena.

But how was I going to help change a system

Lakini ni kwa namna gani nitasaidia kubadili mfumo

that was bringing in younger inmates every day

ambao ulikuwa ukiwafunga jela vijana wadogo kila siku

who deserve to be with their families?

ambao wanastahili kuwa na familia zao?

So I started mobilizing my colleagues in prison, my fellow inmates,

Kwa hiyo nilianza kuwaunganisha rafiki zangu nikiwa jela, wafungwa wenzangu,

to write letters and memoranda to the justice system,

kuandika barua na nakala pacha kwa mfumo wa haki,

to the Judicial Service Commission,

kwenda kamisheni ya huduma za mahakama,

the numerous task forces that had been set up

baadhi ya mamlaka za dola zilizopo

in our country, Kenya,

katika nchi yetu, Kenya,

to help change the constitution.

kusaidia kubadili katiba.

And we decided to grasp at those --

Na tuliamua kushikilia katika hayo --

to clutch at those straws, if I may use that word --

kufumbata mirija hiyo, kama naweza tumia hilo neno --

if only to make the justice system work,

ili mradi tu kufanya mfumo wa haki utende kazi sawa,

and work for all.

na kwa wote.

Just about the same time,

N a katika muda huo huo,

I met a young university graduate from the UK,

Nilikutana na mhitimu wa chuo mdogo anayetokea Uingereza,

called Alexander McLean.

anayeitwa Alexander McLean.

Alexander had come in with three or four of his colleagues from university

Alexander alikuja na wahitimu wenzie watatu au wanne kutoka chuo

in their gap year,

katika mwaka wa mapumziko,

and they wanted to help assist,

na walitaka kusaidia,

set up a library in Kamiti Maximum Prison,

kutengeneza maktaba katika jela ya Kamiti,

which if you Google,

ambayo ukitafuta katika Google,

you will see is written as one of the 15 worst prisons in the world.

utaona pameandikwa ni moja ya jela 15 mbaya duniani.

That was then.

Hiyo ilikuwa kipindi hicho.

But when Alexander came in,

Lakini Alexander alipokuja,

he was a young 20-year-old boy.

alikuwa na miaka 20.

And I was on death row at that time.

Na nilikuwa nikingojea hukumu ya kifo muda ule.

And we took him under our wing.

Na alijiunga nasi.

It was an honest trust issue.

Ilikuwa ni suala la uaminifu.

He trusted us, even though we were on death row.

Alituamini, pamoja na kwamba tulihukumiwa adhabu ya kifo.

And through that trust,

Na kupitia uaminifu huo,

we saw him and his colleagues from the university

tulimuona yeye na wenzie aliotoka nao chuo

refurbish the library with the latest technology

wakikarabati maktaba kwa kutumia teknolojia ya kisasa

and set up the infirmary to very good standards

na kuweka zahanati katika hali nzuri

so that those of us falling sick in prison

ili kwamba wale kati yetu ambao wataumwa wakiwa jela

would not necessarily have to die in indignity.

hawatokufa kwa kukosa heshima.

Having met Alexander,

Kwa kuonana na Alexander,

I had a chance,

Nilipata nafasi,

and he gave me the opportunity and the support,

na alinipa nafasi na msaada,

to enroll for a university degree at the University of London.

wa kujiunga na shahada ya chuo katika chuo cha London.

Just like Mandela studied from South Africa,

Kama vile Mandela alivyosoma akiwa Afrika Kusini,

I had a chance to study at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison.

Nilipata nafasi ya kusoma nikiwa jela ya Kamiti.

And two years later,

Na miaka miwili baadaye,

I became the first graduate of the program

Nilikuwa muhitimu wa kwanza wa programu

from the University of London from within the prison system.

kutokea chuo cha London nikiwa ndani ya mfumo wa jela.

Having graduated, what happened next --

Baada ya kuhitimu, kipi kilifuata --

(Applause)

(Makofi)

Thank you.

Asante.

(Applause)

(Makofi)

Having graduated,

Baada ya kuhitimu,

now I felt empowered.

nilijihisi kuwezeshwa.

I was not going to play the helpless victim.

Nilikuwa tena siyo mhanga nisiye na msaada.

But I felt empowered not only to assist myself,

Lakini nilijihisi kuwezeshwa sio tu kwa kujisaidia mwenyewe,

to prosecute my own case,

kushughulikia kesi yangu,

but also to assist the other inmates

lakini pia kusaidia wafungwa wengine

who are suffering the similar injustices that have just been spoken about here.

ambao wanapitia mfumo mbovu unaofanana na huu ambao umeongelewa hapa.

So I started writing legal briefs for them.

Kwa hiyo nilianza kuwaandikia nakala ya kisheria.

With my other colleagues in prison, we did as much as we could.

Na mwenzangu niliyekuwa nae jela, tulifanya kila linalowezekana.

That wasn't enough.

Hiyo haikutosha.

Alexander McLean

Alexander McLean

and his team at the African Prisons Project

na timu yake ya mradi wa jela zilizopo Afrika

decided to support more inmates.

waliamua kusaidia wafungwa wengi zaidi.

And as I'm speaking to you today,

Na ninapoongea na wewe leo.

there are 63 inmates and staff in the Kenya Prison Service

wapo wafungwa na maofisa 63 katika huduma ya jela za Kenya

studying law at the University of London through distance learning.

wakisoma sheria katika chuo cha London kwa kupitia kujifunza kwa umbali.

(Applause)

(Makofi)

These are changemakers who are being motivated

Kuna waleta mabadiliko ambao wanahamishwa

not only to assist the most indolent in society,

sio tu kusaidia walio wanyonge katika jamii,

but also to help the inmates and others get access to justice.

lakini pia kusaidia wafungwa na wengine kupata nafasi katika haki.

Down there in my prison cell, something kept stirring me.

Katika chumba cha jela nilichokuwepo, kuna kitu kilikuwa kikinikoroga.

The words of Martin Luther King kept hitting me.

Maneno ya Martin Luther King yalikuwa yakinijia.

And he was always telling me, "Pete, if you can't fly,

Na alikuwa akiniambia muda wote, "Pete, kama huwezi kupaa,

you can run.

unaweza kukimbia.

And if you can't run,

Na kama huwezi kukimbia,

you can walk.

unaweza kutembea.

But if you can't walk,

Lakini kama huwezi kutembea,

then you can crawl.

unaweza kutambaa.

But whatever it is, whatever it takes,

Lakini vyovyote, namna yoyote itavyogharimu,

just keep on moving."

endelea kusonga mbele."

And so I had this urge to keep moving.

Kwa hiyo nikawa na shauku ya kusonga mbele.

I still have this urge to keep moving in whatever I do.

Bado nina hii shauku ya kusonga mbele katika kila ninalofanya.

Because I feel the only way we can change our society,

Kwa sababu nahisi njia pekee tunayoweza kubadili jamii yetu,

the only way we can change the justice system --

njia pekee tunayoweza kubadili mfumo wa haki --

which has really improved in our country --

ambao umekuwa na maboresho makubwa nchini kwetu --

is to help get the systems right.

ni kusaidia kuweka mifumo sawa.

So, on 26th October last year, after 18 years in prison,

Kwa hiyo, mnamo tarehe 26 mwezi Oktoba mwaka uliopita, baada ya kutumikia miaka 18 jela,

I walked out of prison on presidential pardon.

Nilitoka jela kwa msamaha wa raisi.

I'm now focused on helping APP -- the African Prisons Project --

Sasa hivi nimejikita katika kusaidia APP -- mradi wa jela zilizopo Afrika --

achieve its mandate of training and setting up

kufanikisha matwaka yake ya mafunzo na kuweka

the first law school and legal college behind bars.

shule ya kwanza ya sheria na haki ndani ya jela.

Where we are going to train --

Ambapo tutafundisha --

(Applause)

(Makofi)

Where we are going to train inmates and staff

Ambapo tutafundisha wafungwa na maofisa

not only to assist their fellow inmates,

sio tu kwa ajili ya kusaidia wafungwa wenzao,

but to assist the entire wider society of the poor

lakini kusaidia jamii nzima ya masikini

who cannot access legal justice.

ambao hawawezi kupata msaada wa kisheria na haki.

So as I speak before you today,

Kwa hiyo ninaongea mbele yenu leo,

I stand here in the full knowledge that we can all reexamine ourselves,

Nasimama hapa nikiwa na maarifa kamili kwamba tunaweza kujitathmini wenyewe,

we can all reexamine our situations,

tunaweza tathmini hali zetu,

we can all reexamine our circumstances

tunaweza wote kutathmini namna zetu

and not play the victim narrative.

na kutoelezea kuhusu wahanga.

The victim narrative will not take us anywhere.

Kuelezea kuhusu wahanga hakutatupeleka popote pale.

I was behind bars, yeah.

Nilikuwa jela, ndiyo.

But I never felt and I was not a prisoner.

Lakini sijawahi kujihisi na sikuwa mfungwa.

The basic thing I got to learn

Kitu cha msingi nilichojifunza

was that if I thought,

ni kwamba kama ningewaza,

and if you think, you can,

na kama unawaza, unaweza,

you will.

utaweza.

But if you sit thinking that you can't,

Lakini kama unakaa unawaza hauwezi,

you won't.

hautaweza.

It's as simple as that.

Ni rahisi kama hivyo.

And so I'm encouraged by the peaceful revolutionaries

Na ninapata tumaini kutokana na mapinduzi ya amani

I've heard on this stage.

niliyosikia katika hatua hii.

The world needs you now, the world needs you today.

Dunia inakuhitaji sasa, dunia inakuhitaji leo.

And as I finish my talk,

Na ninapomaliza hii hotuba yangu,

I'd just like to ask each and every single one of you here,

Ninapendelea kuuliza kila mmoja wenu hapa,

wonderful thinkers, changemakers, innovators,

wasomi wakuu, waleta mabadiliko, wavumbuzi,

the wonderful global citizens we have at TED,

watu wote kutoka ulimwenguni mliopo hapa TED,

just remember the words of Martin Luther King.

kumbuka maneno ya Martin Luther King.

Let them continue ringing in your heart and your life.

Yaache yaendelee kusikika katika moyo na maisha yako.

Whatever it is,

Vyovyote ilivyo,

wherever you are,

popote ulipo,

whatever it takes,

chochote inachogharimu,

keep on moving.

endelea mbele.

Thank you.

Asante.

(Applause)

(Makofi)

Thank you.

Asante.

(Applause)

(Makofi)