Markus Kamau: Home

Pesa ni Pesa is this month's free download.

The song is about how the Big Man is always expected to pay for the party. There's a bit of a Neil Yong riff in there, too.

Go to the music page to download it.

Week of January 27th

I’ve been on the road and the Great Kenyan Election Robbery has becoming the Never-Ending Story.

In the last week of January, while Kofi was in Nairobi working very hard, I got the Tanzanian view.

When I want to gauge how a place views a situation --- be it the American election, the Iraq war, Kenya turmoil, floods in Mozambique, whatever --- I talk with taxi drivers. Taxi drivers, while waiting for their next passenger, do nothing but read the newspapers or listen to news. And they have strong opinions and love to discuss what is going on. So I had a long conversation with one Mohamed in Dar while we sat in a traffic jam going into town on Ali Hassan Mwinyi Boulevard.

There is a view here that Tanzania, because of Nyerere’s commitment to burying tribalism, could never fall into the type of situation Kenya is mired in. “Hakuna ukabila hapa (There is no tribalism here),” says Mohamed. On one level, there is a certain smugness, pride and “told-you-so” about the whole thing. Tanzania is on a strong upward trajectory, and in its growth and economic possibility, it relishes in hope of surpassing the greedy hoards of Kenya.

On another level, people also are worried and very sad for Kenya, and they are eager to see the see the situation resolved. As a nation, they have been pro-Odinga family since the 60’s, and most Tanzanians I spoke felt that Raila had rightly won the contest. The Kenya story was on the front page of the leading newspapers.

A joke going round in Dar es Salaam: The only country in the world where a Luo can get elected president? America.

Salaam.

A great take on what goes on in Kibaki and Raila’s minds, based on the freeze-frame “Ongea” advertisements against HIV-AIDS.
http://youtube.markacadey.net/video/Kibaki/WlBI8RB48RY/Redykyulass___Kibaki_and_Raila_having_lunch

Week of the 20th January

I first saw the Mighty King Kong at Nyayo Stadium about nine or ten years ago. It was one of those heavily politicized, non-descript poorly-organized shows where a variety of local artists were on parade, and it went on way too long. On that day, newcomer King Kong stormed the stage and “rogaed” the crowd. A larger-than-life oversized voice issued from his diminutive misshapen form, and he used his staff as a walking stick, a dancing pole and a prop. He pivoted about on that stick, singing, growling and rapping in that adopted Jamaican patois.

Overnight, he was a public figure, part of the local reggae scene, a performer at Hollywood, Florida and NGO road shows. A positive vibration person, he carried with him a unique regal enthusiasm only found in people who have overcome huge obstacles to “make it”. And the stage he made it on was Kenya.

He died Christmas day just before the election, after unexpectedly collapsing and being rushed to the hospital by musician Gidi-Gidi. It took three weeks before Kenyan musicians, and the Sarakasi Trust, could get it together to organize a commemorative event. Of course nobody is in the mood to honour or celebrate a life. Most Luo musicians --- King Kong came from Nyanza --- are too confused and bitter to throw a proper event.
So his body had already been sent home and buried in Kisumu by the first tribute. On the strength of his reputation, the hearse convoy carrying him had avoided the many thug-manned barricades and road blocks between Nairobi and his resting place.

So, on a depressing Friday night, Gladys and I went down to Alliance Francaise, made our contributions to the Mighty King Kong funeral fund, paid our respects and watched the show.

The crowd was small, a few score of people sitting in the plastic chairs of the Alliance’s garden. The Jabali brothers were there, Gidi Gidi was there, some of the press, mzungus from the AF mailing list. But it was dismal and nobody even got up to dance until an uninvited Jah’key Malley occupied the stage and performed some reggae to a CD of backing tracks.

Note to Sarakasi Trust: When doing a tribute, please use artists who actually know the music of the musician being honoured, not hacks who just want to get on stage. As Joseck Asikoye says, one’s own people must send him home.

On the political scene:
Kofi Annan, Benjamin Mkapa and Graca Machel arrived in town to walk the path where Desmond Tutu, John Kufuor, Jendayi Frazier had tread, the first two with dismaying results. The Rift, full of rising smoke from razed homesteads, Nairobi subdued, surreal and entrenched. Tension can hold you hostage only so long. Then the kids have to go to school. So we work our day jobs, and watch the latest episode of the Kofi Annan Show.

Kofi, he of the powdered white beard and proper diplomatic English, manages to get Kibaki and Raila to agree to talk. The adversaries in their suits emerge from closed one-on-ones with Kofi in Harambee House. They shake hands for the assembled press. It’s what the wananchi want --- a signal, a cup of tea, the first melting of the ice. Odinga again speaks from notes, while Kibaki, woodenly reads text prepared by his minders. The Kibaki speech, which reminds the nation that he is “duly elected”, draws immediate fire from an Orange House press conference.