THE STORIES UNTOLD

"No! I say that the cockerel must be slaughtered. It shall not live to see the sun of tomorrow. My house is the guardian of culture and tradition, and as the headman, I decree here and now, that the cock must go! It is profoundly insane and unheard of in our land that a cock crows in the hours of nyachieni  [the devil] and it is let free to see the beige rays of the morning sun. May our fore fathers unleash tenfold of dry thunder upon they that do not heed the customary way of life that they set!" That was my old man on the Christmas eve of 2005. Simple and casual as he was, with a long Africa shuka strewn all through his frail-looking but yet strong body stature and an oversize pair of traditional flip flops, Mzee Yimbo was still the de jure leader of the household. He was the head. And so as such, his word was law. Any deterrence from his decree was bound to attract an inevitable terrible punishment, or even banishment from his home; at least according to the inform...

We all have reasons or things or people for whom we are grateful for. Personal,social or intellectual gifts to us by the most high God are most appreciated. Now, I have this one gift for which I will forever be thankful. That happens to be the spirit of liberalism. It is queer and I’m absolutely privy to that. But better still, I don’t shy away from admitting such. I regard this gift of nature so uniquely because in a myriad of ways, it has saved the human race from extinction for so many times. Human trade and slavery in the medieval times for instance, was brought to an end courtesy of the liberalism of people like William Wilberforce who at the time, was a leading economist in Britain. It is also that same spirit of liberalism in the icons of African independence like Mwalimu Nyerere, Dr Kwame Nkrumah and such like them which prompted the many colonialists of our vast continent to let go off the archaic, shameful and uncouth practice of over dominance. Also not forgetting t...

Osoch Ogun, who doubles up as my writing mentor opines that disquietude, injustice, darkness and suffering lie behind the most prolific pieces of literature. Wasn't Ngugi wa Thiongo's Devil on the Cross informed by the rampant corruption in this country of mine Kenya? And wasn't it racial discrimination that prompted Mandela to author his masterpiece, Long Walk to Freedom? As such, I am in no position to contest Osoch Ogun's opinion. This piece you're about to read was as well informed by disquietude. And I realised my heart would not be at rest till I put the words that were churning in my mind to paper. Writing relieves. Ooh, and by the way, that guy you see in the picture is my brother, now late. His name is, or rather was, Ronald. At home we were however used to 'Misiani'. From where I come no one is called by his formal English name. I know you are wondering the reason for this, but to your chagrin, I also dont happen know why. Mayb...

For quite a long time, actually since independence, Kenya has perennially been he ld hostage by a few predominant personalities majorly in the political arena. Our lives, futures and even more profoundly, our destinies, have been dangled maliciously on the palms of a bunch of self  acclaimed leaders. I actually, for a moment, tend to surmise that 'leaders' would be too much an appraisal to mount to such fellows. These are a pack of power hungry hounds who along the years have considered the vast majority of Kenyans not as fellow countrymen and compatriots but rather as mere voting machines who are due to be used and later dumped upon achieving their unpalatable Nirvanas. Our interests as due citizens of this republic have always been bulleted first in the politicians' to-do lists (manifestos) only to be trashed by the very same drafters upon ascension to power. We are taken for a ride every five constitutional years but we don't seem to be privy to that. And quite in...

                                                                               3-10-2018 They who say, have for times not few, alluded to the truism of the old adage that the waters are never missed till the well runs dry. It was not until just recently that a majority of the Kenyan citizenry acknowledged the paramountcy of a long standing and credibly viable opposition in the country. I was far beyond profound shock and amazement when last week I saw the very same people who presumablypresumably- per the status quo of course- vehemently shunned the idea of an Odinga presidency crying foul at his dec...

                                  21-10-2018 It is 12 noon EAT, the 21st day of October 2018. A day after the Mashujaa day celebrations. The sun is burning hot and the students, save for me, as well as the teachers are standing beneath receiving its first hand impact. I am penning this article from the comfort of my desk in one of the 25 classes of Kapsabet High School-one of the few to be appraised as a national school. And today, this very day of October, they are in anxious anticipation of a visitor whom they have acclaimed as 'very important'. I have been just meticulous enough not to use 'we' in place of 'they' for the simple reason that unlike those I am referring to, I'm not so desperate to receive this visitor. This very important visitor has been called upon to launch a just completed project vthat has been named after him in an evident showcase of obsequiousness. I don't know why but I am...

I happened to have listened and hitherto watched Juliani's symphony; utawala. This is a song that was produced in 2014 to lament and critique the poor governance streak that had rocked the country. It came at a time when corruption had soared to the zenith. When Kenyans were living in deplorable conditions. When Injustices were being meted upon the citizenry without measure. Juliani stood up against those atrocities. Four years later, Kenya is still the same. Money laundering in government parastatals has not changed a bit. As a matter of fact, its worse now. Corruption still lurks within us. Sadly, it has even eaten deep into our social protectors;agencies and bodies that we're supposed to look up to in the condemnation of such. Parliament, City Hall and Kenya Power are just but a few of the quotable victims. The people of Kenya are suffering in the vicinity of leaders whose sole bother is how and when to enrich themselves! Abomination! People die under evitable circumsta...