STEVE BIKO

Steve Bantu Biko is viewed as the "father" of the Black Consciousness Movement and the anti-apartheid movement's first icon. Nelson Mandela called him "the spark that lit a veld fire across South Africa", adding that the government "had to kill him to prolong the life of apartheid". 

Between 1975 to 1976 there was a prolonged trial of nine Black Consciousness activists who had been charged with treason for organising pro-FRELIMO rallies in Natal to celebrate Mozambique's independence, despite police banning political gatherings.*

Biko as the leader of Black Consciousness Movement appeared as a witness for the defence and in one of the session he exposed judge's Boshoff (Queen's Counsel) ignorance  by schooling him on the political  happenings  in Kenya. 

This happened during a debate on the viability of one man one vote democracy in Africa. The exchange at the court went :

Biko: Yes, My Lord, let us take the Kenya situation for instance, where there has been a natural dealing of the opposition.

Judge Boshoff: But I thought that disappeared when Odinga Oginga (sic) was assassinated?

Biko: No, Oginga Odinga has not been assassinated, he is still alive.

Judge Boshoff: Tom Mboya?

Biko: Tom Mboya was with the governing party, and the governing party is still governing up until now.

Judge Boshoff: Yes, but then they found out that he had a certain adherence amongst the people and.. 

Biko: I think My Lord, you are mistaking Tom Mboya with Kariuki. It was Kariuki who was murdered, and it was Kariuki who had generated amongst the people a certain thought, but Kariuki was also operating from inside the governing party. You see, in Kenya there is a very good demonstration of what a one-party state can achieve by way of differing thought within the party. Kariuki was the advocate on the one hand of the common man, the worker, the servant in Kenya, against this whole development in Kenya, of a bourgeoisie within the ruling party. You had Kenyatta on the other hand who felt constantly attacked by Kariuki. Okay, Kariuki was allowed to air his views in parliament, he was allowed to hold meetings throughout the length and breadth of the country, but still operating from within KANU, which is the ruling party. This is the essence of a one-party state. That there is no need to divide your men and let them lead other parties to 

Judge Boshoff: Yes, but Kariuki didn't survive all this?

Biko: Oh well, My Lord, several politicians don't survive, it seems like Verwoerd didn't survive. [Laughter].

END:

By the time this trial was taking  place, Biko  was already a marked man. And, his confidence and fascinating performance in court only emboldened  the  apartheid government's stand that he was the incitor of trouble caused by the Black Consciousness activists in the country.

It is therefore  not surprising that just a couple  of months after his court appearance. He was arrested and beaten to death by state security officers. He died of a massive brain hemorrhage due to blunt trauma on the left side of his head.

South African writer Lindy Wilson in her book 'Steve Biko' revealed that Biko had great  admiration for Odinga. She wrote: "Biko himself identified particularly with Oginga Odinga, one of Kenya's national leaders."

Ideologically the two were African nationalists and African socialists.

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