Tugege Politics: Erasing My People

Tugege Politics: Erasing My People

Kamau, my once loving brother
Kamau, he has become house Negro
I, field Negro, to him turned a Botha
Like Peter, his people, sees them a bother.

Kamau, my once confident brother
Irritates him, mine prosperity that glows
A seed planted, it’s nature is to grow
This new found hate of the self, nurtured.

Kamau, my once proud brother
Has been taught, his people to loathe
Vehement, it is so, you suspect some oath
Lies peddled daily, has become his tutor.

Only that, this hate in his heart, ain’t his
The Master’s venom, through him, the hiss
Blinded, Kamau can’s see, this to be a death kiss
They got a hold on him, permanent the lease.

Still, I understand him, lost as he is
Lies dash around the world, truth stills
History, that eternal teacher of old
Its lessons - poignant, solid, bold.

To conquer a man, alienate him from his culture
Rubbish his traditions, over him, you’ll have power
His blood-brother, you bribe into a collaborator
Deaf-blind, he can’t hear the lightning, see the thunder!

History, it says, to kill a nation, erase their names
Rabbi is Shylock, Nkurunziza – pesky the cockroach
Ahmed Terrorises, permit the drone to approach
It’s my turn now, Kagege - Tugege, now they maim.

Loud the ridicule, Kamau wa Mumbi, rootless
Now I deny my Creator - I’ve become less
Fatherless – a man is nothing, they say
I forget about Gikuyu, night is my day.

Emboldened, they revise, this my history
Alternative facts, the new, strange story
Kenyatta didn’t fight - for the nation’s freedom
Matiba he was missing; Second - the Liberation.

In future, they’ll say, Ngugi wrote terribly
Wangari, her trees – painted even less kindly
Kibaki – he ruined, such a great economy
I’ll stand with them, agree to all – foolishly, heartily!

Divide, rule – as all conquests happen
Martha versus Gachagua, quarrels laden
Mungiki – our youth baptised – the future weaken
Poison with drink – lose the entrepreneurial haven!

Yet, I am of the Mountain – high and proud
I am the Mountain – black and white – the camouflage
He has to strive and heave, to access what I hold – the adage
Yet, my choice is made – bounty for my people for all the ages!

Yet, I am of the valley, lowly and tranquil
Here I retreat, to hear the voice become still
Gikuyu my Father, Mumbi my Creator - I honour
Blessed land of meat, milk and honey – I, the owner!

Strengthened, I embrace all – I am Kagege
They think idiot, I pronounce strength, cunning
I embrace all – proud I am to be Kagege
My days bountiful - sunny is my new morning!

Shape-shifters we are – Proud Tugege
We won’t be ashamed of our choices – Proud Tugege
In this new name emboldened – Proud Tugege
We embrace, they now can’t erase – I am a Proud Kagege!

Comments

The Seven Deaths of Mr. Steven Akumu: The Five Death

‘Curiosity killed the pussy.’ This is what they had forgotten to tell Mr. Steven Akumu. ‘Bang!’ The house shook, smoke filled the compound, shots rang out. Azrael was come. But how did we get here? Mr. Steven Akumu, a man of big ambition. He had thrown his hat in the ring, intent to unseat the reigning Member of Parliament for Mashimoni. That is before he shifted his residence and his political base. Now, Mashimoni is a placid place. A placid place, on ordinary days. The people – courteous, friendly, going about their bustles fashionably late, lazily, even. But come election time, the waters are stirred and trouble reigns in paradise. Then, gangs of marauding youths, with machetes – brandished and concealed – are employed to control the electoral outcome. The lingo – ‘to secure the bases’, and on election day, ‘to guard the vote’. Their leaders, they supplement these efforts with a pistol or two. Mr. Steven Akumu began his campaigns innocently enough. He had not gotten the memo

Kenya Innovation Week 2023, Commonwealth Edition: Start-up Manenos

The dates: 27 th November-1 st December 2023. The venue. The Edge Convention Centre, Nairobi, Kenya. Sweet things first. Innovators get to walk away with 500K each, in shillings. 47 of them, from all the 47 counties… on Jamhuri Day, 5 of them get to walk away with… that’s for the President H.E. William Ruto to announce. The funding is to enable them take their innovations to market and build viable businesses out of the same. PIA – The Presidential Innovation Awards, the president is that serious. The Start-up sessions are a serious affair, the titles a mouthful, the colon abused: (Session: Founder Stories: An Exclusive Interview with Leading High Growth Start-ups: Learning, Pivoting and Critical Decisions during and Unprecedented Accelerated Business Growth). Ok, some of the lessons when scaling up: Ask for help; Believe in yourself; Resilience; Change of Mind-set. What’s the share of Bill Gates in Microsoft? We are asked. We throw figures around: 30, 90, 50… the percentages…

Angry Nairobians

Nairobians are angry. Very angry. Perhaps, I should do a song, or some poetry piece, so that I can fully convey this: Nairobians, angry, hungry Nairobians, relatives to poverty Nairobians, has become their enemy – money Nairobians, no longer can access – honey. Nairobians, in their leaders – no hope Nairobians, unwashed – can’t afford soap The government, has lost – goodwill from the people No longer cute – the SG’s and the Governor’s dimples. Nairobi, despondency – hangs in the air Doing business, feels like living in the lion’s lair Taxes, more taxes – women can’t afford pretty hair Angry, hungry, for Nairobians – there is despair. It’s around 11pm. Nyayo House, recently declared a Corruption Free Zone. Hang around in a group outside, and some administration policeman will enquire of your business. I am here on some business. It is full house, majority seeking passports to get a breather outside the country… the National Youth Service have been seconded to assist s

Upya Fresh

Search This Blog