Monday, August 30, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Video: Kenyan Pundit on CNN's African Voices
Kenyan technologist, lawyer and blogger Ory Okolloh talks about how the internet can change stereotypes about Africa.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Lauryn Hill - "Repercussions"
This is a re-up post.I'm posting it again cause the song seems to have charted on Billboard 100,and I'm not even sure it was meant to be an official single To me it sounds like a previously unreleased track from maybe early 2000s or Miseducation period. It's not an outstanding song, but it's good. Let's hope there's more where this came from.
Lauryn Hill - "Repercussions"
Lauryn Hill - "Repercussions"
Maker Faire Africa @ UON
Date: 27th - 28th August, 2010
Venue: University of Nairobi Main Campus
Entry: Free
Check out the full programme here
His Spoken Word Album Launch
The launch of the Christian spoken word album, featuring poets like Specyfyd, Pepe Haze, Nzilani, Number 8, X-Po among others. Come and support this! Brought to you by Mad Love Lounge and Full House Ent.Date: Saturday, August 28th 2010
Venue: Kenya National Archives
Time: 4pm - 8pm
Entrance: Ksh 300 (Advance Ksh.250 available at Keswick Bookshops or call 0720791604)
Monday, August 16, 2010
Video: Urban Kool Documentary (trailer)
A documentary film on urban youth culture in Nairobi through the decades, and a new approach to youth consumer engagement – Branded Entertainment.
Check out more here
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Video: Suite For Ma Dukes Orchestra - "Untitled/Fantastic"
From the Suite for Ma Dukes EP, which is an orchestral project interpreting music of the late legendary hiphop producer J Dilla.
Listen: Miguel Atwood-Ferguson & The Suite for Ma Dukes Orchestra – Untitled/Fantastic
*Yeah this is a re-up post. The other video wasn't the best
Listen: Miguel Atwood-Ferguson & The Suite for Ma Dukes Orchestra – Untitled/Fantastic
*Yeah this is a re-up post. The other video wasn't the best
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Monday, August 09, 2010
Video: Trip Lee - "The Invasion (Hero)"
Liking the concept of this, hope we can get more creative video's in Christian rap
Saturday, August 07, 2010
Video: Fela! - "Water No Get Enemy"
Another clip from the musical, which I wish would tour Africa. But even then I guess ticket prices would be out of reach for most.
"Water No Get Enemy" from FELA! Original Broadway Cast Recording from Fela Kuti on Vimeo.
Friday, August 06, 2010
James Baldwin & Africa-America
Here are some interesting video's featuring writer/activist/essayist James Baldwin I've been checking out over at Black Looks. I'm really getting more interested in his work after watching these video's. He is highly intelligent and perceptive about human nature, psychology and racism. I have a keen interest in the African-American experience and I regularly read blogs like The Root, thus I find these videos fascinating. African-Americans have so much potential to be a great and unique people, but there are things that hold them back (I think mostly self-inflicted.) I still have hope Barack Obama's presidency could be a turning point in their history.
"Take this Hammer"
Take This Hammer from Brendan Nee on Vimeo.
"I've always known that I'm not a n*gger..but if I am not the n*gger.. and if it's true that your invention reveals you, then who is the n*gger?"
"Take this Hammer"
Take This Hammer from Brendan Nee on Vimeo.
"I've always known that I'm not a n*gger..but if I am not the n*gger.. and if it's true that your invention reveals you, then who is the n*gger?"
Video: Wyclef Jean "If I Was President"
I say go for it Wyclef, why not? Brush the haters off, what have they done to help Haiti all this time? Wyclef definitely has a passion for his birthplace, Haiti. I support his bid..yeah, there. the world is changing..
Wyclef to stand for Haiti President
Wyclef to stand for Haiti President
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Video: Kuweni Serious! - "If This Country Burns, We Burn With It"
There is a difference between the one who rents a house, and the one who owns a house. The one who rents a house doesn't care if the walls crack and crumble, they can always move to another house. The one who owns a house knows that no one else will take care of it, thus they paint the walls and mend the cracks. More than 60% of Kenya's population consists of young men and women like us. The problem is that we behave like tenants of Kenya. We have let the older generation tear this country apart. We have let them use us to fight their battles. We have let them loot this country. We have let them fool us into thinking that we're not fit to run this country ourselves. So we hide in our alcohol, in our religions and on the Internet as if there is some other Kenya out there that we shall move to when this one crumbles. We sit at home and wait for others to fight for us on the streets. We want green cards instead of voter's cards. We are angry, but we are too scared to do anything about it. It is not Obama's job to save this country. It is not the donors' job, and the government has shown that it is not their job, either. Responsibility is not shared, it is earned. Freedom is not given, it is taken. When we decide we want freedom, we will have to get it ourselves. Because if this country burns, we burn with it.
Monday, August 02, 2010
Some thoughts on our journey to a new constitution
Some thoughts on our journey to a new constitution
So, we have come as Kenyans to a crossroads and make no mistake, it is a defining moment in our nation’s history.
With the manner in which some so-called leaders are acting one wonders if we live in the same country, but their stance is very understandable. Don’t be fooled, the main leaders of the No campaign William Ruto and Daniel Moi are only concerned about land and power. They are very worried that the big province of Rift Valley will be split into devolved counties. This is unacceptable to them, they have been the lords of this province for a long time. With this power, they(especially the latter) have or at least attempted since 1991, to cow other ethnicities who live in this province into toeing their line. People like to say that Kenya has been a haven of peace in a troubled region, but that is true only if you have been willfully blind for the past 20 years. I am still in my 20’s, but since I was young I have been very aware of what has been happening in this country. Many people my age are sadly ignorant of our recent past. The former regime and president were actively engaged in a brutal system of ethnic cleansing in the Rift Valley, and other places like Coast and Western Province. The message had always been, if you don’t toe the KANU line, you will suffer and be brutalized and marginalized. Tribal clashes didn’t begin in 2007, goodness no! They have been a regular feature in the 1992,1997 and 2007 elections. Tribes that were seen to be in the opposition mainly in Central and Western, Nyanza Province were “taught a lesson” through economic, political and physical marginalization. Thousands and thousands of Kenyans have been slaughtered on Kenyans soil because of their rejection of dictatorship, tribalism and corruption.
We took a wrong turn as Kenyans during independence when the foundation of our nation was built on betrayal. Unfortunately the Kenyatta regime sold out and betrayed the freedom fighters went ahead to engage in tribalism, nepotism and exploitation. Although the economy grew the gap between the rich and poor grew to exponential proportions. Leaders could see the bad way things were going. One Josiah Mwangi Kariuki (a great Kenyan) was brutally murdered by Kenyatta’s men for daring to challenge his regime. This showed how brutal and intolerant Kenya’s leader’s had become.
There is a long trail of blood of other Kenyans who have suffered and died because of a rotten power system. People like Tom Mboya, Robert Ouko, Pio Gama Pinto, Father Kaiser, Julie Ward to name but a few. Many more were tortured just below the street as Kenyans went about their usual lives. Yes, the Nyayo Torture chambers saw alot of brutality from the hands of sadists like Hezekiah Oyugi. Victims had nails and hair pulled out, private parts ,burnt with cigarette butts, made to stand in freezing water and beaten with broken chairs and sometimes shot.
It is in the memory of such Kenyans ( there are thousands more unknown and unnamed) that I will wake early on Wednesday to cast my vote. I will vote a emphatic Yes in the memory of freedom fighters like Wangari Maathai, Paul Muite, Kenneth Matiba and Rev.Timothy Njoya. These are Kenyans who stood up in defiance of a oppressive govt. at a time when you watched what you said lest the special Branch snatched you and delivered you to a torture chamber. We have yearned and fought for this moment in our history. Is the constitution perfect, of course not, nothing man-made is perfect. But it is progressive, it brings power to the people, it prevents a future leader from engaging in imperialism, it gives Kenyan women a chance to take part in leadership and be considered equal, it brings checks and balances in the power structure, it enables land injustices to be dealt with, it ensures free speech, movement and assembly. It protects our precious environment., it recognizes the diversity of Kenyans. It is simply put one of the most progressive constitutions in Africa and indeed the world.
All I can say is please think about where we have come from as a country, think about where we are and where we are all crying out to be as a people and as a nation. The journey will not be over after the 4th, it will have just entered a new phase and we must remain vigilant a s a people.
I am proud of you Kenyans, we have proved that we are a people of hope, perseverance and faith despite the challenges we have faced that would crush a lesser people. I am very encouraged by the unity and spirit we are displaying as a country. This is a great tiem to eb alive in kenya, this is truly historic,a turning point.
Say Yes for the destiny that Kenya is meant to fulfill. This is a blessed moment.
God bless Kenya.
So, we have come as Kenyans to a crossroads and make no mistake, it is a defining moment in our nation’s history.
With the manner in which some so-called leaders are acting one wonders if we live in the same country, but their stance is very understandable. Don’t be fooled, the main leaders of the No campaign William Ruto and Daniel Moi are only concerned about land and power. They are very worried that the big province of Rift Valley will be split into devolved counties. This is unacceptable to them, they have been the lords of this province for a long time. With this power, they(especially the latter) have or at least attempted since 1991, to cow other ethnicities who live in this province into toeing their line. People like to say that Kenya has been a haven of peace in a troubled region, but that is true only if you have been willfully blind for the past 20 years. I am still in my 20’s, but since I was young I have been very aware of what has been happening in this country. Many people my age are sadly ignorant of our recent past. The former regime and president were actively engaged in a brutal system of ethnic cleansing in the Rift Valley, and other places like Coast and Western Province. The message had always been, if you don’t toe the KANU line, you will suffer and be brutalized and marginalized. Tribal clashes didn’t begin in 2007, goodness no! They have been a regular feature in the 1992,1997 and 2007 elections. Tribes that were seen to be in the opposition mainly in Central and Western, Nyanza Province were “taught a lesson” through economic, political and physical marginalization. Thousands and thousands of Kenyans have been slaughtered on Kenyans soil because of their rejection of dictatorship, tribalism and corruption.
We took a wrong turn as Kenyans during independence when the foundation of our nation was built on betrayal. Unfortunately the Kenyatta regime sold out and betrayed the freedom fighters went ahead to engage in tribalism, nepotism and exploitation. Although the economy grew the gap between the rich and poor grew to exponential proportions. Leaders could see the bad way things were going. One Josiah Mwangi Kariuki (a great Kenyan) was brutally murdered by Kenyatta’s men for daring to challenge his regime. This showed how brutal and intolerant Kenya’s leader’s had become.
There is a long trail of blood of other Kenyans who have suffered and died because of a rotten power system. People like Tom Mboya, Robert Ouko, Pio Gama Pinto, Father Kaiser, Julie Ward to name but a few. Many more were tortured just below the street as Kenyans went about their usual lives. Yes, the Nyayo Torture chambers saw alot of brutality from the hands of sadists like Hezekiah Oyugi. Victims had nails and hair pulled out, private parts ,burnt with cigarette butts, made to stand in freezing water and beaten with broken chairs and sometimes shot.
It is in the memory of such Kenyans ( there are thousands more unknown and unnamed) that I will wake early on Wednesday to cast my vote. I will vote a emphatic Yes in the memory of freedom fighters like Wangari Maathai, Paul Muite, Kenneth Matiba and Rev.Timothy Njoya. These are Kenyans who stood up in defiance of a oppressive govt. at a time when you watched what you said lest the special Branch snatched you and delivered you to a torture chamber. We have yearned and fought for this moment in our history. Is the constitution perfect, of course not, nothing man-made is perfect. But it is progressive, it brings power to the people, it prevents a future leader from engaging in imperialism, it gives Kenyan women a chance to take part in leadership and be considered equal, it brings checks and balances in the power structure, it enables land injustices to be dealt with, it ensures free speech, movement and assembly. It protects our precious environment., it recognizes the diversity of Kenyans. It is simply put one of the most progressive constitutions in Africa and indeed the world.
All I can say is please think about where we have come from as a country, think about where we are and where we are all crying out to be as a people and as a nation. The journey will not be over after the 4th, it will have just entered a new phase and we must remain vigilant a s a people.
I am proud of you Kenyans, we have proved that we are a people of hope, perseverance and faith despite the challenges we have faced that would crush a lesser people. I am very encouraged by the unity and spirit we are displaying as a country. This is a great tiem to eb alive in kenya, this is truly historic,a turning point.
Say Yes for the destiny that Kenya is meant to fulfill. This is a blessed moment.
God bless Kenya.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)