JARED NYATAYA | NATION Maj Fr George Makau consoles one of two TFG soldiers at Liboi Camp who were on the way to Garissa for treatment on February 29. They were injured when KDF troops and Somalia soldiers were ambushed by Al-Shabaab on the Tabda-Belesc Qogani a day earlier. Five militiamen were killed during the encounter.
By JOHN NGIRACHU jngirachu@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Wednesday, March 7 2012 at 20:59
Posted Wednesday, March 7 2012 at 20:59
IN SUMMARY
- Fr Makau accom-panies the supply convoys and was in one when they ran into an Al-Shabaab ambush between Tabda and Belesc Qogani
As Kenyan troops crossed into Somalia last October, a man among them was making history of sorts — entering a war zone with the Bible in one hand and a gun in the other.
That man was Fr Major George Makau who, unlike many other priests, was going into the lawless state on a military and not on a humanitarian mission.
There were many firsts with the start of Operation Linda Nchi, among them the fact that Fr Makau was the first military chaplain to go to war in Kenya.
Unlike the soldiers, whose arduous task is the liberation of southern Somalia from Al-Shabaab and the limitation of the threat posed to Kenya’s security and stability, Fr Makau’s job involves boosting morale.
In the event that they fall sick, get injured or die in battle, it is likely the priest will be by their side, anointing them, urging them to be strong or ultimately escorting them back home.
“As a chaplain, my work is to talk to and give encouragement; it is to see to it that the morale of the soldiers is up. Some of them can be under stress, and it is my job to encourage them,” he said.
As an officer and with the regimented structure of the command of the military, he would be the one issuing orders to the soldiers and Non-Commissioned Officers, so to get a feel of how they feel, Fr Makau often drops the official line.
That’s how he ends up in the trenches with soldiers or in the observation posts, where they can freely interact without them being afraid of him. He calls it “the ministry of presence”.
“The ministry of presence means that the chaplain is there all the time. The soldiers know my handaki (trench). They know my location, and they have my number,” Fr Makau says.
He also helps them prepare food and confesses he is very good at making mandazi. It gives him the opportunity to interact with the soldiers, to listen to their worries and to offer consolation. He also invites the soldiers to “Padre Hour”, a session where he talks to them and offers encouragement.
Fr Makau accompanies the supply convoys and was in one when they ran into an Al-Shabaab ambush between Tabda and Belesc Qogani. Like the others, he dismounted the Armoured Personnel Carrier and crawled into the bush.
“That’s when I saw my services were needed. We had some casualties and after ceasefire, I went and talked to them. They were shocked, I was also shocked and we helped each other. It was a small ambush. We did not lose a soldier,” he said.
As a chaplain, Fr Makau would normally not be allowed to carry a gun, but with his involvement in an unconventional war, he carries one for self-defence.
Like every other Catholic priest, he celebrates Mass on Sundays, albeit a shorter one without the singing and loud celebration that would accompany Mass in a more peaceful area.
Among Catholics, joining the priesthood is based on a “calling”, an event characterised by much soul-searching. The 49-year-old Fr Makau was ordained as a priest in March 1994.
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