TEDGlobal 2017
Peter Ouko: From death row to law graduate
Peter Ouko: Kutoka hukumu ya kifo mpaka mhitimu wa sheria
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Peter Ouko alitumikia miaka 18 katika jela ya Kamiti, muda mwingine alikuwa akifungwa katika chumba cha jela na watu wazima 13 kwa masaa 23 na nusu kwa siku. Katika hotuba hii endelevu, anaelezea hadithi ya namna gani alivyokuwa huru -- na misheni ya mradi wa jela zilizopo Afrika: kuweka shule ya kwanza ya sheria iliyopo jela na kuhamasisha watu waliopo jela kuleta mabadiliko chanya.
Peter Ouko - Prison reform advocate
Pete Ouko champions access to justice for inmates and the indolent in Africa. Full bio
Pete Ouko champions access to justice for inmates and the indolent in Africa. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
I want to tell you a story about Manson.
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Nataka niwaambie hadithi inayomuhusu Manson.
00:17
Manson was this 28-year-old
interior designer,
interior designer,
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Manson alikuwa mpamba mandhari ya ndani ya nyumba mwenye miaka 28,
00:21
a father to a loving daughter,
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baba mwenye binti anayempenda,
00:23
and a son
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na mvulana
00:25
who found himself behind bars
due to a broken-down judicial system.
due to a broken-down judicial system.
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aliyejikuta akiingia jela kutokana na mfumo mbovu wa mahakama.
00:30
He was framed for a murder
he didn't commit
he didn't commit
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Alisingiziwa mauaji ambayo hakuyatenda
00:33
and was sentenced to the gallows.
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na kuhukumiwa kunyongwa.
00:36
There were two victims of this murder --
the victim who actually died in the murder
the victim who actually died in the murder
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Walikuwepo wahanga wawili wa mauaji haya --mhanga mmoja aliyefariki kwenye mauaji
00:40
and Manson, who had been
sentenced to prison
sentenced to prison
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na Manson, ambaye alifungwa gerezani
00:43
for an offense which he did not commit.
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kwa kosa ambalo hakutenda.
00:47
He was locked up in a cell,
eight by seven,
eight by seven,
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Aliwekwa kwenye chumba cha jela, nane kwa saba,
00:49
with 13 other grown-up men
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na watu wazima wengine 13
00:52
for 23 and a half hours a day.
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kwa masaa 23 na nusu kwa siku.
00:55
Food was not guaranteed that you'd get.
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Hakukuwa na uhakika wa kupata chakula.
00:59
And I remember yesterday,
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Na nakumbuka jana,
01:00
as I walked into the room where I was,
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nikiwa naingia kwenye chumba ambacho nilikuwepo,
01:04
I imagined the kind of cell
that Manson would have been living in.
that Manson would have been living in.
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Nilitafakari namna chumba cha jela ambacho Manson alikuwa akiishi.
01:07
Because the toilet --
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Kwa sababu msalani --
01:09
The row of the small rooms
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Mstari wa vyumba vidogo
01:10
that were there were slightly bigger
than the eight-by-seven cell.
than the eight-by-seven cell.
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uliokuwepo pale ulikuwa mkubwa kidogo zaidi ya chumba cha jela cha ukubwa wa nane kwa saba.
01:14
But being in that cell
as he awaited the executioner --
as he awaited the executioner --
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Lakini kuwepo ndani ya jela ile akimsubiri mnyongaji --
01:17
because in prison,
he did not have a name --
he did not have a name --
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kwa sababu ndani ya jela, hakuwa na jina --
01:20
Manson was known by a number.
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Manson alikuwa akijulikana kwa namba.
01:22
He was just a statistic.
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Alikuwa ni moja ya takwimu.
01:25
He did not know how long he would wait.
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Hakujua ni kwa muda gani angesubiri.
01:28
The wait could have been a minute,
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Muda wa kusubiri ungewezekana kuwa dakika,
01:30
the executioner could have come
the next minute,
the next minute,
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mnyongaji angeweza kuja dakika inayofuata,
01:32
the next day,
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siku inayofuata,
01:33
or it could have taken 30 years.
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au ingechukua miaka 30.
01:37
The wait had no end.
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Ngoja ngoja haikuwa na mwisho.
01:40
And in the midst of the excruciating pain,
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Na katika maumivu makali ya uchungu,
01:43
the mental torture,
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mateso ya kiakili,
01:46
the many unanswered questions
that Manson faced,
that Manson faced,
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maswali mengi yasiyo na majibu aliyokumbana nayo Manson,
01:50
he knew he was not
going to play the victim.
going to play the victim.
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alijua kwamba hatotakiwa kuwa mhanga.
01:53
He refused to play the role of the victim.
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Alikataa kuwa mhanga.
01:56
He was angry at the justice system
that had put him behind bars.
that had put him behind bars.
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Alighadhabishwa na mfumo wa mahakama uliomuingiza jela.
02:01
But he knew the only way
he could change that justice system
he could change that justice system
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Lakini aligundua kwamba njia pekee ya kubadili mfumo wa haki
02:04
or help other people get justice
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au kusaidia wengine kupata haki
02:06
was not to play the victim.
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ni kukataa kuwa mhanga.
02:09
Change came to Manson
when he decided to embrace forgiveness
when he decided to embrace forgiveness
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Mabadiliko yalikuja kwa Manson alipoamua kujifunza kusamehe
02:13
for those who had put him in prison.
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kwa wale waliomuingiza jela.
02:17
I speak that as a fact.
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Naongea hilo likiwa ni ukweli.
02:20
Because I know who Manson is.
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Kwa sababu namfahamu Manson.
02:24
I am Manson.
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Mimi ni Manson.
02:26
My real name is Peter Manson Ouko.
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Jina langu halisi ni Peter Manson Ouko.
02:30
And after my conviction,
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Na baada ya hukumu yangu,
02:31
after that awakening of forgiveness,
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baada ya kupata uamsho wa kusamehe,
02:35
I had this move
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Nilisonga mbele
02:37
to help change the system.
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katika kusaidia kubadili mfumo.
02:40
I already decided I was not
going to be a victim anymore.
going to be a victim anymore.
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Nilishaamua kwamba sitakuwa mhanga tena.
02:44
But how was I going to help
change a system
change a system
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Lakini ni kwa namna gani nitasaidia kubadili mfumo
02:46
that was bringing in
younger inmates every day
younger inmates every day
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ambao ulikuwa ukiwafunga jela vijana wadogo kila siku
02:49
who deserve to be with their families?
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ambao wanastahili kuwa na familia zao?
02:52
So I started mobilizing my colleagues
in prison, my fellow inmates,
in prison, my fellow inmates,
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Kwa hiyo nilianza kuwaunganisha rafiki zangu nikiwa jela, wafungwa wenzangu,
02:56
to write letters and memoranda
to the justice system,
to the justice system,
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kuandika barua na nakala pacha kwa mfumo wa haki,
03:00
to the Judicial Service Commission,
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kwenda kamisheni ya huduma za mahakama,
03:03
the numerous task forces
that had been set up
that had been set up
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baadhi ya mamlaka za dola zilizopo
03:06
in our country, Kenya,
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katika nchi yetu, Kenya,
03:07
to help change the constitution.
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kusaidia kubadili katiba.
03:10
And we decided to grasp at those --
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Na tuliamua kushikilia katika hayo --
03:12
to clutch at those trolls,
if I may use that word --
if I may use that word --
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kufumbata mirija hiyo, kama naweza tumia hilo neno --
03:15
if only to make the justice system work,
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ili mradi tu kufanya mfumo wa haki utende kazi sawa,
03:18
and work for all.
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na kwa wote.
03:21
Just about the same time,
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N a katika muda huo huo,
03:22
I met a young university
graduate from the UK,
graduate from the UK,
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Nilikutana na mhitimu wa chuo mdogo anayetokea Uingereza,
03:25
called Alexander McLean.
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anayeitwa Alexander McLean.
03:28
Alexander had come in with three or four
of his colleagues from university
of his colleagues from university
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Alexander alikuja na wahitimu wenzie watatu au wanne kutoka chuo
03:31
in their gap year,
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katika mwaka wa mapumziko,
03:32
and they wanted to help assist,
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na walitaka kusaidia,
03:35
set up a library in Kamiti Maximum Prison,
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kutengeneza maktaba katika jela ya Kamiti,
03:38
which if you Google,
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ambayo ukitafuta katika Google,
03:39
you will see is written as one
of the 15 worst prisons in the world.
of the 15 worst prisons in the world.
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utaona pameandikwa ni moja ya jela 15 mbaya duniani.
03:43
That was then.
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Hiyo ilikuwa kipindi hicho.
03:45
But when Alexander came in,
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Lakini Alexander alipokuja,
03:46
he was a young 20-year-old boy.
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alikuwa na miaka 20.
03:48
And I was on death row at that time.
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Na nilikuwa nikingojea hukumu ya kifo muda ule.
03:51
And we took him under our wing.
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Na alijiunga nasi.
03:53
It was an honest trust issue.
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Ilikuwa ni suala la uaminifu.
03:56
He trusted us, even though
we were on death row.
we were on death row.
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Alituamini, pamoja na kwamba tulihukumiwa adhabu ya kifo.
03:59
And through that trust,
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Na kupitia uaminifu huo,
04:00
we saw him and his colleagues
from the university
from the university
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tulimuona yeye na wenzie aliotoka nao chuo
04:03
refurbish the library
with the latest technology
with the latest technology
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wakikarabati maktaba kwa kutumia teknolojia ya kisasa
04:06
and set up the infirmary
to very good standards
to very good standards
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na kuweka zahanati katika hali nzuri
04:10
so that those of us falling sick in prison
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ili kwamba wale kati yetu ambao wataumwa wakiwa jela
04:13
would not necessarily
have to die in indignity.
have to die in indignity.
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hawatokufa kwa kukosa heshima.
04:17
Having met Alexander,
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Kwa kuonana na Alexander,
04:20
I had a chance,
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Nilipata nafasi,
04:21
and he gave me the opportunity
and the support,
and the support,
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na alinipa nafasi na msaada,
04:24
to enroll for a university degree
at the University of London.
at the University of London.
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wa kujiunga na shahada ya chuo katika chuo cha London.
04:28
Just like Mandela
studied from South Africa,
studied from South Africa,
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Kama vile Mandela alivyosoma akiwa Afrika Kusini,
04:31
I had a chance to study
at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison.
at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison.
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Nilipata nafasi ya kusoma nikiwa jela ya Kamiti.
04:35
And two years later,
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Na miaka miwili baadaye,
04:37
I became the first graduate of the program
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Nilikuwa muhitimu wa kwanza wa programu
04:39
from the University of London
from within the prison system.
from within the prison system.
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kutokea chuo cha London nikiwa ndani ya mfumo wa jela.
04:44
Having graduated, what happened next --
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Baada ya kuhitimu, kipi kilifuata --
04:46
(Applause)
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(Makofi)
04:50
Thank you.
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Asante.
04:51
(Applause)
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(Makofi)
04:52
Having graduated,
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Baada ya kuhitimu,
04:54
now I felt empowered.
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nilijihisi kuwezeshwa.
04:56
I was not going to play
the helpless victim.
the helpless victim.
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Nilikuwa tena siyo mhanga nisiye na msaada.
04:58
But I felt empowered
not only to assist myself,
not only to assist myself,
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Lakini nilijihisi kuwezeshwa sio tu kwa kujisaidia mwenyewe,
05:01
to prosecute my own case,
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kushughulikia kesi yangu,
05:03
but also to assist the other inmates
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lakini pia kusaidia wafungwa wengine
05:06
who are suffering the similar injustices
that have just been spoken about here.
that have just been spoken about here.
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ambao wanapitia mfumo mbovu unaofanana na huu ambao umeongelewa hapa.
05:11
So I started writing
legal briefs for them.
legal briefs for them.
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Kwa hiyo nilianza kuwaandikia nakala ya kisheria.
05:13
With my other colleagues in prison,
we did as much as we could.
we did as much as we could.
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Na mwenzangu niliyekuwa nae jela, tulifanya kila linalowezekana.
05:19
That wasn't enough.
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Hiyo haikutosha.
05:23
Alexander McLean
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Alexander McLean
05:24
and his team
at the African Prisons Project
at the African Prisons Project
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na timu yake ya mradi wa jela zilizopo Afrika
05:28
decided to support more inmates.
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waliamua kusaidia wafungwa wengi zaidi.
05:30
And as I'm speaking to you today,
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Na ninapoongea na wewe leo.
05:32
there are 63 inmates and staff
in the Kenya Prison Service
in the Kenya Prison Service
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wapo wafungwa na maofisa 63 katika huduma ya jela za Kenya
05:36
studying law at the University of London
through distance learning.
through distance learning.
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wakisoma sheria katika chuo cha London kwa kupitia kujifunza kwa umbali.
05:40
(Applause)
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(Makofi)
05:45
These are changemakers
who are being motivated
who are being motivated
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Kuna waleta mabadiliko ambao wanahamishwa
05:49
not only to assist
the most indolent in society,
the most indolent in society,
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sio tu kusaidia walio wanyonge katika jamii,
05:52
but also to help the inmates
and others get access to justice.
and others get access to justice.
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lakini pia kusaidia wafungwa na wengine kupata nafasi katika haki.
05:59
Down there in my prison cell,
something kept stirring me.
something kept stirring me.
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Katika chumba cha jela nilichokuwepo, kuna kitu kilikuwa kikinikoroga.
06:03
The words of Martin Luther King
kept hitting me.
kept hitting me.
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Maneno ya Martin Luther King yalikuwa yakinijia.
06:07
And he was always telling me,
"Pete, if you can't fly,
"Pete, if you can't fly,
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Na alikuwa akiniambia muda wote, "Pete, kama huwezi kupaa,
06:12
you can run.
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unaweza kukimbia.
06:14
And if you can't run,
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Na kama huwezi kukimbia,
06:16
you can walk.
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unaweza kutembea.
06:18
But if you can't walk,
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Lakini kama huwezi kutembea,
06:20
then you can crawl.
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unaweza kutambaa.
06:22
But whatever it is, whatever it takes,
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Lakini vyovyote, namna yoyote itavyogharimu,
06:24
just keep on moving."
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endelea kusonga mbele."
06:26
And so I had this urge to keep moving.
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Kwa hiyo nikawa na shauku ya kusonga mbele.
06:29
I still have this urge
to keep moving in whatever I do.
to keep moving in whatever I do.
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Bado nina hii shauku ya kusonga mbele katika kila ninalofanya.
06:31
Because I feel the only way
we can change our society,
we can change our society,
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Kwa sababu nahisi njia pekee tunayoweza kubadili jamii yetu,
06:35
the only way we can change
the justice system --
the justice system --
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njia pekee tunayoweza kubadili mfumo wa haki --
06:37
which has really improved
in our country --
in our country --
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ambao umekuwa na maboresho makubwa nchini kwetu --
06:39
is to help get the systems right.
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ni kusaidia kuweka mifumo sawa.
06:42
So, on 26th October last year,
after 18 years in prison,
after 18 years in prison,
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Kwa hiyo, mnamo tarehe 26 mwezi Oktoba mwaka uliopita, baada ya kutumikia miaka 18 jela,
06:47
I walked out of prison
on presidential pardon.
on presidential pardon.
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Nilitoka jela kwa msamaha wa raisi.
06:51
I'm now focused on helping APP --
the African Prisons Project --
the African Prisons Project --
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Sasa hivi nimejikita katika kusaidia APP -- mradi wa jela zilizopo Afrika --
06:54
achieve its mandate
of training and setting up
of training and setting up
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kufanikisha matwaka yake ya mafunzo na kuweka
06:57
the first law school
and legal college behind bars.
and legal college behind bars.
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shule ya kwanza ya sheria na haki ndani ya jela.
07:01
Where we are going to train --
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Ambapo tutafundisha --
07:03
(Applause)
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(Makofi)
07:06
Where we are going to train
inmates and staff
inmates and staff
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Ambapo tutafundisha wafungwa na maofisa
07:10
not only to assist their fellow inmates,
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sio tu kwa ajili ya kusaidia wafungwa wenzao,
07:12
but to assist the entire
wider society of the poor
wider society of the poor
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lakini kusaidia jamii nzima ya masikini
07:15
who cannot access legal justice.
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ambao hawawezi kupata msaada wa kisheria na haki.
07:19
So as I speak before you today,
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Kwa hiyo ninaongea mbele yenu leo,
07:21
I stand here in the full knowledge
that we can all reexamine ourselves,
that we can all reexamine ourselves,
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Nasimama hapa nikiwa na maarifa kamili kwamba tunaweza kujitathmini wenyewe,
07:27
we can all reexamine our situations,
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tunaweza tathmini hali zetu,
07:30
we can all reexamine our circumstances
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tunaweza wote kutathmini namna zetu
07:33
and not play the victim narrative.
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na kutoelezea kuhusu wahanga.
07:36
The victim narrative
will not take us anywhere.
will not take us anywhere.
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Kuelezea kuhusu wahanga hakutatupeleka popote pale.
07:40
I was behind bars, yeah.
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Nilikuwa jela, ndiyo.
07:42
But I never felt and I was not a prisoner.
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Lakini sijawahi kujihisi na sikuwa mfungwa.
07:48
The basic thing I got to learn
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Kitu cha msingi nilichojifunza
07:50
was that if I thought,
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ni kwamba kama ningewaza,
07:52
and if you think, you can,
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na kama unawaza, unaweza,
07:55
you will.
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utaweza.
07:56
But if you sit thinking that you can't,
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Lakini kama unakaa unawaza hauwezi,
07:59
you won't.
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hautaweza.
08:01
It's as simple as that.
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Ni rahisi kama hivyo.
08:04
And so I'm encouraged
by the peaceful revolutionaries
by the peaceful revolutionaries
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Na ninapata tumaini kutokana na mapinduzi ya amani
08:06
I've heard on this stage.
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niliyosikia katika hatua hii.
08:08
The world needs you now,
the world needs you today.
the world needs you today.
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Dunia inakuhitaji sasa, dunia inakuhitaji leo.
08:12
And as I finish my talk,
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Na ninapomaliza hii hotuba yangu,
08:15
I'd just like to ask
each and every single one of you here,
each and every single one of you here,
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Ninapendelea kuuliza kila mmoja wenu hapa,
08:19
wonderful thinkers,
changemakers, innovators,
changemakers, innovators,
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wasomi wakuu, waleta mabadiliko, wavumbuzi,
08:23
the wonderful global citizens
we have at TED,
we have at TED,
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watu wote kutoka ulimwenguni mliopo hapa TED,
08:26
just remember the words
of Martin Luther King.
of Martin Luther King.
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kumbuka maneno ya Martin Luther King.
08:29
Let them continue ringing
in your heart and your life.
in your heart and your life.
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Yaache yaendelee kusikika katika moyo na maisha yako.
08:33
Whatever it is,
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Vyovyote ilivyo,
08:35
wherever you are,
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popote ulipo,
08:36
whatever it takes,
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chochote inachogharimu,
08:38
keep on moving.
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endelea mbele.
08:39
Thank you.
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Asante.
08:40
(Applause)
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(Makofi)
08:44
Thank you.
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Asante.
08:45
(Applause)
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(Makofi)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Peter Ouko - Prison reform advocatePete Ouko champions access to justice for inmates and the indolent in Africa.
Why you should listen
Twenty years ago, Peter Ouko walked into a police station in Kenya seeking answers to the circumstances under which his wife had been found murdered and the body dumped next to the police station fence. Unbeknown to him, the hunter would soon find himself as the hunted, and in a journey through the then broken down judicial system, he found himself convicted and sent to the gallows for a crime he maintains he did not commit.
Instead of bitterness, Ouko decided to forgive his tormentors and make the best of his time in prison, becoming the first inmate to graduate with a University of London Diploma in Law while behind bars. He is currently in his final year as an LLB student in the same University.
In his dual role as an Ambassador of the African Prisons Project and Founder of the Youth Safety Awareness Initiative, Ouko today champions access to justice for inmates and the indolent in society while using social enterprise to advocate for a crime free world. His goal: to demystify justice and have a crime free world underpinned by the rule of the law.
Peter Ouko | Speaker | TED.com