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

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…

A Short Run

There is a shout. Startled, he looks back. Now, his phone is gone. He was out jogging, phone held in the hand, the beat synchronised to his strides. The boys, really young, three of them on a motorbike, laced in silver – rings and teeth. ‘Typical,’ he thinks. It rains. Heavily. The El Nino rains – on and off. He hurries home in the downpour, drenched. He is among a few lonely souls on the almost deserted stretch of road, poorly light. There is a soft honk. A lovely smile beams at him. Could be his daughter. He hops in. That’s how he is unrobed – Mpesa, Fuliza, two banks accounts linked to his smartphone. He will no longer be doing mobile banking. Christmas is here, Nairobi style. He takes a detour off his Christmas tunes – Boney M to Elvis. Before that, that kingly tune set in Chicago… ‘… on a cold and grey Chicago morn… and his momma cries…’ On the second alley, music blares – reggae, rhumba - young men with bowls, begging to bury their friends, their comrades. A few pairs of sh

ENRICH in Africa: Connecting African and European Innovation Ecosystems for a Stronger Innovation Community

Venue, iHub, Nairobi. Date. 8 th December 2023. Co-creation and Collaboration Opportunities for African and Europeans Startups : Featuring a European Startup Showcase. After the event, snacks will be served as businesses network. But before that… Wanjiru Githuku, iHub, moderates. Panellists include: Aidah Ng’ang’a – Head of Community and Ecosystem Co-Creation Hub; Basil Malaki – Knowledge Transfer Manager, Innovate UK; Somet Kipchilat – Head of Product, Poa Internet; Jente Rosseel – Founder and CEO, Elewa; Christine Namara – Partner, African Seed Fund, Flat6Labs; and, Brandon Opondo, Trade Advisor, Business France. Collaboration… organisations working together towards a common goal. That collaboration is survival, more so, currently when funding is diminishing…. What value do both partners offer? Can they find two problems that solve each other and go forward together? What informs collaboration/co-creation? Research, data… Venture Capital… good for tech start-ups that can sca

Upya Fresh

Search This Blog