Kenya is now.....wait for it............................Bongoland

I am sorry folks, but i had this sudden realization as i rode the matatu today that it's really bongo land. I had this amazing appetite for Kenyan do i say hiphop music but i no longer hear it and yes you guessed right, folks would rather listen to Bongo than kapuka or genge.

When bongo landed the likes of Nameless were asked what they thought of it. They answered like i would anyway that it was a passing cloud...and people are interested in new things. It's been over 6 years since Bongo landed and what i am seeing  right now is an entrenchment not a passing cloud.

Watch the Beat, listen to 7 at 7 on Kiss where Binti Kiziwi is now a favourite and you slowly realized Kenyan hiphop music has been taking over. The fans have complained for lack of good videos and amazingly bad videos and snobbish one hit artistes! Even pulse is covering bongo artistes more and more...saad.

For those still wondering what Bongo music is follow here.

Now what do the likes who sing Kapuka and Genge due...restrategize my friends or rather revolutionize time for restrategizing is over, coz you are so out!

Don't get me wrong, i would love to say i am a fan of kenyan hiphop but you know what i was sold. It's not my fault nor lack of patriotism.

I met a Thief

A.S. Bukenya

 

On the beach, on the coast,

Under the idle, whispering coconut towers,

Before the growling, foaming, waves,

I met a thief, who guessed I had

An innocent heart for her to steal.

 

She took my hand and led me under

The intimate cashew boughs which shaded

The downy grass and peeping weeds.

She jumped and plucked the nuts for me to suck;

She sang and laughed and pressed close.

 

I gazed: her hair was like the wool of a mountain sheep,

Her eyes, a pair of brown-black beans floating in milk.

Juicy and round as plantation shoots

Her legs, arms and neck;

And like wine-gourds her pillowy breasts;

Her throat uttered fresh banana juice:

Matching her face-smooth and banana-ripe.

 

I touched- but long before I had even tasted,

My heart had flowed from me into her breast;

And the she went – high and South-

And left my carcass roasting in the fire she'd lit.

Did Mutoko have anything to do with MK's Exit

To be honest MK's breakfast show has been legendary in itself. Not just the contribution of King'ang'i but the mix of both Maina and Mk was terrific. It was what made morning traffic bearable.

But good things apparently don't last. (how sad)

So today someone gave me a whole perspective to this debacle that Queen B could have had something to do with the Mwalimu's exit. Trust me Kenyans really are worried about Mwalimu's exit and they talk about it all the time. She runs the Quarcoo affairs that is not necessarily a dark secret, the extent to which is what nobody knows.

The MK's stole the show from her i.e. the Big Breakfast and struggling to remain relevant was something she must have thought of. After all the concept of a glamourous big breakfast came with Phil Mathews (Capital FM) then Carol Mutoko..

If all MK was asking for was Ksh. 20,000, would Radio Africa Ltd not be in a position to give him even more? After all what was Classic 105 without the both MK's?.

Just in time for KISS100's FM new recruit to replace Nyambane and did the switch happen?  Will the switch go back to KISS 100 FM. Talk of survival tactics.

Learning from Buzzted

The curtain might fall on Ciku's Breakfast show on Easy FM, i am not a big fan of hers but sometimes inevitably have had to listen to familiar stories told to different people and working all the time. You can fool all the fools all the time really. Anyway, here are the lessons learnt;

1. If you think that tots belongs to someone else, he/she does
2. If you think someone is cheating on you, he/she is
   
3. Sometimes you are just the side kick really
4. No Don Juan would be busted on busted
5. Calling people and promising them holidays works all the time
6. Who do you want to send the flowers to? also works
7. 100% of the people buzzted are gullible, how now? that makes a chunk of Kenyans Huh!
8. We all love free things
9. When the deal is too good think twice:)
10. Does Easy FM reach the whole nation?
    

What happened to our Beloved Country?

When did people think it is alright to terrorize fellow citizens because ;

a) The Government has wronged them

b)They are poverty stricken, unemployed youths?

c)They have the ability to do so

As we speak the transport system has been paralyzed, fares have doubled, citizens are in morbid fear. This is because a certain group of people have said so.

But why do these groups seen during the post election violence and now operate with such impunity?

The ruling (political) class have used these same gangs to gain power.  The gangs seen during the post election violence were first and foremost not normal Kenyans but to all and sundry (meaning the world)  were normal mwananchi angry at the election results. That argument did pass and you know what some people majorly benefited from this and are currently occupying posh offices. We won't get into that.

So why won't new gangs come out and demand the respect that the gangs during the post election violence got with outstanding success? you need power, hire a gang, terrorize citizens and get it!  Whatever it is Mungiki are asking/demanding for is unknown. But all i know is we are tired, sick tired of this mindless violence to citizens.

Blogger -Citizen Journalism

Somebody seems to care what blogger say. It is quite a good thing.
Nairobi Star yesterday carried a very interesting headline to quote "
Are bloggers dangerous propagandists?"

Today the Standard has a column titled "Bloggers fury over the new cabinet".

Bloggers i think represent the Kenyans who speak straight from the gut.

Though Mwangi from Thinkersroom may make one think that M is in M for
Mwangi. I think these people need a few lessons from bloggers.

Good day people

New (OLD) cabinet, Mungiki Strikes

Despite there being new fresh faces in parliament the two country
stalwarts have decided to give us a thoroughly recycled cabinet.

Picture these

Ministers from ODM (recycled)
William Ole Ntimama
Kipkalya Kones
Dalmas Otieno
Chris Obure
Henry Kosgey
Fred Gumo
Dr. Sally Kosgei
Musalia Mudavadi

These are people who foresaw and actively participated in times of our
economic depression. One of the reasons why I never saw the hype about
ODM was this. Some may be real reformists but the persons who ended
up having real power were the old goons because of their economic
power which is very crucial in political campaigns in Kenya. I don't
know why they should be given a benefit of doubt but all I know is ODM
could have done better with their many fresh faces. Out of 20
Ministers, 12 served in the powerful Moi Regime.

Ministers from PNU (recycled)
Samuel Poghisio
Prof. Sam Ongeri
Yusuf Haji
Prof. George Saitoti

PNU on the other hand also has many new faces that you would expect in
the cabinet, George Thuo for example, the man who provides transport
in Nairobi is a man you would not expect to miss in the cabinet. He is
young and refreshing. I am shocked young Kimunya survived the old
folks onslaught.

I am extremely disappointed with this cabinet, it gives nobody hopes
nor does it promise anything new. All I can see is political games
well played and a further entrenchment of the political rewards to
tribal kingpins.

Mungiki strikes
As if in mockery, some Nairobi Residents woke up to a rude shock. The
members of the outlawed took to the streets terrorizing Motor Vehicle
owners and burning vehicles. From the reports gathered they went on
and about in estates such as Zimmerman, Githurai, Dandora, Tassia,
Gachie, Limuru, Ruaka and other parts of Eastlands. Thika Road, a
normally traffic jam stricken road, was very clear with most PSV's
(Matatus) avoiding the road for fear of the dreaded Militia. The wife
of the de facto Mungiki leader is said to have been killed with her
driver in the car and dumped in a forest. It is not clear who/how the
wife died but it has surely angered the Militia with them promising to
raise terror until their concerns (?) are met. I can only hope the
Government will act swiftly to avoid further securing concerns.

Marlaw - Bembeleza

Kingangi is out!

(digression 101) I am sure if everyone had a gun , they would point it to the Big Men not a fellow Kenyan which is not a bad thing.

Anyway it just dawned on me that it is true the character known as Philgonias (sp) aka Mwalimu Kingangi who in
real life carries the Name Ndambuki in his National ID has left Classic FM. Maina Kageni is lonely and it is so evident.  So Pulse (the official Perez HIlton) in Kenya writes it is about the pay. That MK (2) was starting to hold Classic FM hostage to increase his pay (huh). I don't know methinks its weird.

But i say King'angi is nothing without Classic Breakfast  i am quickly reminded Classic Breakfast Show is nothing without King'ang'i.

I am not saying Maina Kageni is not a great presenter. MK (1) is a terrific presenter, kwanza that voice of his is just too sexy but the show is just not complete without MK (2). Considering the traffic jams Kenyans have to endure every morning; a good joke makes it a bit less taxing and much more enduring.

I can't remember the last time i listened to Carol Mutoko. Then there was a time when Kiss FM rocked with CM and Nyambane, apparently that is no longer the position. Though i guess it's time humorists in the country ( i am sure there are people who can throw a few jokes apart from Nyams and King'angi) should find a very fulfilling career with Radio Africa.

I would actually want to know what is the real reason behind Mwalimu King'ang'i's sad departure from Classic FM.

Let Love Go, If Go she will

A few days ago i wrote about the pain of the lovelorn; this poem summarizes all

By Robert Louis Stevenson

Let love go, if go she will.
Seek not, O fool, her wanton flight to stay.
Of all she gives and takes away
The best remains behind her still.

The best remains behind; in vain
Joy she may give and take again,
Joy she may take and leave us pain,
If yet she leave behind
The constant mind
To meet all fortunes nobly, to endure
All things with a good heart, and still be pure,
Still to be foremost in the foremost cause,
And still be worthy of the love that was.
Love coming is omnipotent indeed,
But not Love going. Let her go. The seed
Springs in the favouring Summer air, and grows,
And waxes strong; and when the Summer goes,
Remains, a perfect tree.

Joy she may give and take again,
Joy she may take and leave us pain.
O Love, and what care we?
For one thing thou hast given, O Love, one thing
Is ours that nothing can remove;
And as the King discrowned is still a King,
The unhappy lover still preserves his love.

Chips, Love

When we were much younger, me & my sis measured the love of our mother by Chips and my brother by bread i swurr.

At first when my brother became of age and outgrew the bread, we started feeling threatened of our status quo (the sole beneficiary of the chips) mum started to bring him his own packet of chips and us guys would only get one to share.

When my bro was born i was 9 my sis was 7 i don't know what has changed but this days, 9 year olds are still toddlers but at our time we were grown children who could possibly do all types of housework.  I am still shocked that i can't make chapattis.  So we fed on his weetabix, cerelac (esp) carried him around. So on this day i put him on the table and poor boy woishe angukas, my mum instead of picking him took a slipper and did the necessary.  My mom's tool of punishment was a slipper and boy it worked. The threat of a slipper was enough for total submission. Because my bro was so beautiful, my sis carried him around telling everyone to come and see her beautiful brother. But sometimes we were not amused because my brother was such a toddler and you couldn't leave him alone when we wanted to go play.  He had this habit of crying until my mother came back and instantly would go to slipper mode in the name of "mlifanyia nini mtoto"??.
(digression)

My mom would go to do her business in town everyday and in the evening without failure would come with 2 packet of chips, mine and my sis. When she claimed to have no money we would only have one to share and with a lot of fight so when my brother came of chips eating age (3years) we would bribe him really hard. you would hear my sis humbly submitting "woiyee kababa si mimi ndio nilikubeba leo" only to get these extra chips. Call it love-hate, encroachment of a right to eat a full plate of chips, but that is how it worked.

Childhood stories though sometimes bitter (slippers) can be very entertaining especially when you sit with your mother and she denies that she ever did do anything leave alone cause misery. Like the day my sis disappeared and we had to look for her for almost 4 hours only to find her hiding just around the house. My last beatings were when i was in standard 4 after being slippered daily in Standard 3.

I bet everyone had one worth remembering.

Ooh

There is only one thing that brings instant tears to my eyes; my youngest brother. Every time I think about him I want to cry. I do not like writing it here but the fact that my brother lives with my aunt is something that breaks/tears my heart.

 

I come from a most imperfect family. Thanks God to my very abilities to shove everything aside, I am able to live with it. I don't wish for any other family either, I am totally content (not necessarily happy) knowing from the outside other people think ours is happiest one maybe because we can afford to live a bit better than others.

 

I brought up my brother for at least 2 years and for that time I grew in profound love. There is only person's love I am assured of in the world, his. We love each other totally, deeply and I don't think there is anyone who can ever take away that love from me, maybe my own children. I never understood why they said that a mother's love is the deepest for what I feel for my brother is deep love; I will lie to say I feel that about anyone else. Yet for some reasons i can't live with him. Reasons I will not delve into because that is a bit personal. But I read somewhere today that the only way to healing sometimes is through writing and I wish my brother would read this and know that I would not want him to feel abandoned ever in future that if it were in my greatest powers I would live with him and would not mind taking care of him however much great sacrifice it would call on my part.

 

As I write this I feel really badly, I cannot control the tears I feel for the emotional pain my brother has to go through. I do know for a fact relatives will never take care of other people's children and those who have had to grow without their parents can understand what I mean. I have told my mother once and more again that their separation did not have to affect my brother in that way and for the reason only I have no say in his life being only his sister as once, when we were having a discussion with my aunt she retaliated by asking who I was to him and only my parents could discuss his well being and where he is to stay. My mother says she is in no position to provide for the young boy as his father and for my father, his child would rather be brought up by his aunt rather than a house help (to an extent i agree).

 

Sometimes I pray to God, asking him to give me the guidance on how to handle that issue because when I have tried to handle it I have ended blowing a storm out of it and falling out with my both parents. They in my opinion don't see any problem with being holiday parents or si I go to see him or he is lacking in nothing. I know he is lacking in nothing but I don't know anything that taking care of another human being and knowing he has your love and back, and to take him to hospital when he falls sick and to take him to school.

 

Gosh I better stop there!

KIBAKI & MUGABE

Nothing is more disgusting than to hear anybody make comparisons between Mugabe and Kibaki. The two are hardly in the same league. Mugabe has brought to ruins the economy of Zimbabwe, the same cannot be said of Kibaki.

While the facts surrounding the Kenyan elections and the Zimbabwe elections are similar in delaying of the elections results, the opposition in Zimbabwe could be a true hope for the future of Zimbabwe but the opposition in Kenya (as it were) can hardly bear any hope then and still now. I can hardly call recycling of the KANU remnants as the opposition (then was), i am not shocked those guys are still haggling over who to occupy cabinet posts.

 If you are giving Kibaki an option of Henry Kosgey, Sally Kosgey, Chris Obure or worse still William Ole Ntimama the classic case of failed leaders in the past. While we saw the rise of young persons who were shown the door e.g. Mukhisa Kituyi, Raphael Tuju, Mutahi Kagwe leaders we will sorely miss for their national contributions and making  differences in our lives. I have seen people in the cutting edge begging for them to spare Michuki (roads) in the new cabinet, people the country celebrated to lose (what is wrong with Kenyans?).

while the Zimbabwean Economy has seen extreme deterioration from lack of schools, mortuaries even, health facilities, the zim dollar rises as you queue for them. People are paid to reprice the goods in market, hardly can the same be said of Kenya even under Moi's rule. I have come to appreciate little things that are good in Kenya with time, i hope everyone learns to not to issue blanket condemnation of Africa's bad leadership

Open Mic Session

The last time i attended the open mic session we left arguing rather heartedly with a friend of mine on whether or not Tony Mochama was a literary genius. Obviously from my friend's ignorance, i highly doubt he knows TM's writings was of the argument that he wasn't as he (TM) had presented a reading on his deceased cousin.Anyway since i don't pride myself to be a literary critic, i will not make any further argument but all i know is  that the dude is a word smith literary.

amongst a backdrop of a picture of a young woman spotting a rather curly short hair that reminds me of 70's hair styles a mixture of young and not so young persons gather. This is the literary street literary as the newspaper people would call them. They are artistes of different nature, bloggers, actresses, budding poets, musicians and others who are basically here because they heard of open mic and their friends think its cool. As with every event/club in Nairobi there are people whose presence would much be elsewhere.

For some reason my eyes are drawn to the young woman on the picture. Who does she symbolize because when i turn around i see gals in long hair, with lines, braid not some curly short hair.Then there are two paintings of totally nude women on the walls of Club Soundd. Maybe that's the conviction that woman is art.

Time effluxes and i hear from different people masquerading as poets, real stuff and finally totally amateur stuff.  At one point my attention is caught with some very disgusting unpoetical language

"I miss you big"

Themes move from the obvious & exhausted love, pain, tragedies, comedy, Africa. I would though love to hear some satirical pieces but it seems the amateur & professional poets think nothing of this genre.

The audience is unsympathetic to boring stuff. When the stuff is good they respond with heavy clapping, the boring pieces are meant with a lot murmurs.

While along comes Eudiah who apparently blogs at www.eudiahkamonjo.wordpress.com , a welcome from the previous amateur of "I miss you big" and the performance is great. The Lack of performance from the other artistes is worrying.

Kwani the organization that oversees the Poetry Mic nite, though to be recognized for the display of the talented and the not so talented should provide minimum guidelines for the kind of pieces to be presented. By 9 O'clock the crowd most who i believe belong to the walking nation are ready to leave and by this time not a lot of professional artistes have not been heard.

Where: Club Soundd

When: Every First Tuesday of the Month

Charges: Ksh. 100

Books on the offering
What if I am a literary Gangsta -Tony Mochama
Books by Story Moja