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<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cI think it\u2019s something that should have happened at this magnitude a while ago,\u201d Kimathi said in an interview with GTV. \u201cThe Thomas Sankara Foundation has done its best to keep [Sankara\u2019s] legend alive. And we\u2019ve always been happy to support.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jerry John Rawlings and Thomas Sankara, both revolutionary leaders of their time, were not only close political allies but personal friends. Their vision for pan-Africanism and grassroots empowerment continues to resonate across the continent, especially following the rise of Ibrahim Traor\u00e9, the Burkinab\u00e9 military officer and politician who has served as interim President of the country since 2022.<\/p>\n
Kimathi said: \u201cPresident Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, my father, was a huge supporter of the foundation and he was a very close friend of Thomas Sankara.”<\/p>\n The occasion drew representatives and well-wishers from across the continent, a show of solidarity that Kimathi described as profoundly meaningful.<\/p>\n \u201cIt means a lot to be here and it means a lot that the whole of Africa was more or less here to support this momentous occasion,\u201d he said. \u201cUnited we will rise and divided we will fall. That\u2019s the way I look at it.\u201d<\/p>\n He used the platform to make a broader call for unity across Africa, stressing that the current climate presents a rare and critical opportunity for the continent to come together.<\/p>\n \u201cI think now more than ever, we have the opportunity to come together as a continent. Many have come before who have tried to accomplish this. But I think the atmosphere is perfect for that kind of unity,\u201d Kimathi stated. \u201cWe see what is happening in the West and for once I think we are in a position to look inward at ourselves and see how we can progress as a continent.\u201d<\/p>\n He emphasized the need for collaboration, saying Africa must resist working in silos. \u201cNot just divided where everybody is doing something in their own little corner. Together, I think we can be a force for good in this world.\u201d<\/p>\n Kimathi said he believes the continent’s leaders are on the cusp of achieving this long-sought unity.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Burkina-Faso-names-major-street-after-JJ-Rawlings-4.jpg\")
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