Markus Kamau: Music

Gitonga
(Some time in 1994)
© Chura Kipara Music

Gitonga originally appeared on Mtaani Nairobi. This remake is done in a South African style with rock guitars.

Sikia true story mtaani Nairobi!
Gitonga this song is for you!

Listen to a true story from the streets of Nairobi!

(Chorus)
Nja Gitonga
Shauri ya nja-a-a
Matata ya nja Gitonga
Tabu ya nja-a-a

Nja Gitonga
Shauri ya nja-a-a
Matata ya nja Gitonga
Tabu ya nja-a-a

Hunger Gitonga
The issue of hunger
Problems of hunger, Gitonga
Problems of hunger

Mimi Markus Kamau nika fuata starehe jana huko Dagoretti Kona
Nikachek madame, nikakunywa Tuska baridi
Ilekua siku fiti sana
Badai nikaona mtoto moja akinicheki
Amevalia nguo chafu sana
Na mimi nikamchek
Akasema ––
Eh Mzungu toa kobole
Nasikia njaa
Nikamuelisa jina yake
Akasema mimi naitwa
Gitonga

Myself, Markus Kamau, I was relaxing yesterday at Dagoretti Corner
I was gazing at the women, having a cold Tusker beer
It was a fine day
By and by, I saw a child as he was looking at me
He was wearing ragged clothes
And he kept staring at me
He said
“Hey White Man
Give me a quarter
I’m hungry”
And I said
“What’s your name?”
He told me
“Myself, I’m called Gitonga”

(Chorus)
Nja Gitonga
Shauri ya nja-a-a
Matata ya nja Gitonga
Tabu ya nja-a-a

Nja Gitonga
Shauri ya nja-a-a
Matata ya nja Gitonga
Tabu ya nja-a-a

Lakini story ya Gitonga ni mrefu na imeanza zamani
Imeanza 1984 wakati ya ukamwe
Nilekua kichakani mwaka huu
Huko Tharaka mji wa Kajuki
Cheki Tharaka Bwana ni semi-arid area
Huko polini kuna mtoto kidogo
Ame konda vibiya
Ukienda huka utamwoina
Atakuangalia na macho vibaya
Atasema
“We mzungu nasikia njaa, toa gunia ya posho”
Anaitwa Gitonga

But the story of Gitonga is a long one and it started a long time ago
It started in 1984 during a severe drought
I was in the bush that year
In Tharaka, in the town of Kajuki
Check out Tharaka --- it’s a semi-arid area
There in the bush, there’s a small child
He’s terribly thin
If you go there, you’ll see him
And he’ll look at you with questioning eyes
He’ll say
“Hey White Man, I’m hungry. Give me a sack of maize meal!”

(Chorus)
Nja Gitonga
Shauri ya nja-a-a
Matata ya nja Gitonga
Tabu ya nja-a-a

Nja Gitonga
Shauri ya nja-a-a
Matata ya nja Gitonga
Tabu ya nja-a-a

(Break)

Gitonga mtoto
Miaka kumi tuu
Umevutaa gum
Umevuta fegi
Umevuta bhangi
Umekunywa kumi kumi
Umekulakutoka kwa pipa
Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi!

Gitonga’s child
Only ten years old
You’ve inhaled glue
You’ve smoked cigarettes
You’ve smoked marijuana
You’ve drunk hooch
You’ve eaten from waste bins
Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi!

Gitonga anajiuliza
Wapi fathee?
Wapi dedi?
Wapi chapaa?
Wapi changaa?
Wapi Mama Africa?

Gitonga asks himself
Where’s my father?
Where’s my sister?
Where’s the money?
Where’s the hooch?
Where is Mama Africa?

Wewe Gitonga –– nikachek wewe nikiwa kwa roundabouti kwenye ndinga yangu
Na wewe unanichek nikitoka cinema
Unanishika kwa mikono niki tembea Aga Khan Walk
Unasema nasikia njaa
Unasema mimi binadamu pia --eh-- kama wewe
Kweli Gitonga!


Gitonga, I look at you when I’m driving on the roundabout in my car
And you look at me when I’m coming out of the cinema
You take me by the hand when I’m walking along Aga Khan Walk
You say, “I’m a human being, too, just like you”
Its true, isn’t it Gitonga?

Nja Gitonga
Shauri ya nja-a-a
Matata ya nja Gitonga
Tabu ya nja-a-a

Nja Gitonga
Shauri ya nja-a-a
Matata ya nja Gitonga
Tabu ya nja-a-a

(Solo)

Je! Gitonga mchawi
Gitonga mganga tabiri
Ameona mbele anasema “ZZZZ”
Anasema dira yako imeisha

Hey! Gitonga is a conjurer
He can read the future
He looks into the future and says “Nothing”
He says you have lost your sense of direction

Gitonga anajiuliza tena
Wapi fathee?
Wapi dedi?
Wapi chapaa?
Wapi changaa?
Wapi Mama Africa?

Gitonga asks himself again
Where’s my father?
Where’s my sister?
Where’s the money?
Where’s the hooch?
Where is Mama Africa?