::Kenya Christian::

So I went to watch Avatar , the highly anticipated movie by James Cameron this past weekend. This is a film James Cameron has worked on for 14 years, well not literally, but he has had the dream in place for that period of time. He was unable to realize that dream until now because the technology simply wasn’t in place to fulfill it. He was so determined that he travelled to Sony in Japan to request them to develop (or invent) the technology capable of realizing Avatar on screen. He also worked with WETA Digital , the same production company responsible for the CGI in Lord of the Rings. For more on this check out my previous post “I Wish Kenya Had IMAX.” Avatar is set in the year 2154, and is about a paraplegic ex-marine Jake Sully ( Sam Worthington ) who embarks is brought to the planet Pandora to embark on research. He is chosen to replace his dead twin brother because of their DNA match, and is thus able to inhabit the Na'vi body his twin...

This is a nice song by Nina Ogot , Ive heard her performing it live once or twice and its quite powerful.It makes you think about how you treat those who have less. Lets all think about (and give) to the less fortunate this Christmas. Listen: Nina Ogot - "Chokora" Previously: Nina Ogot - "Runaway"

Watch: Part 2 Part 3

Here is the The Washington Projects take on "Joy to The World." Listen: The Washington Projects - "Joy"

Listen: SK Blue ft.Ringtone - "Pamela" Previously: SK Blue - "Pamela" video

Listen: Kerah ft.Astar - "Songa"

O.K I admit I hurriedly wrote this up today morning and I've just sent it in. Better something than nothing, right? (This is the unedited version so forgive the errors) MY POSITION ON THE HARMONIZED DRAFT CONSTITUTION With this historic moment of our country Kenya in mind it is my right and indeed my duty to present my views on the Harmonized Draft Constitution. Kenyans have struggled for almost 20 years for a new constitution and we have now been presented with an important opportunity. It with this in mind that Kenyans are putting their hopes and trusts with the Committee of Experts  to honour citizen’s views and accurately reflect them in the draft constitution to be presented next year. I, Karanja Kebuchi as a Kenyan citizen am committed to a new constitutional dispensation as I believe this will be instrumental in guiding Kenya to a prosperous and unified future. However there are some issues w...

 Until a few years ago I wasn’t what some would term as a “tree hugger.” i.e. people who take care of the environment very seriously. Some of my reasons were I used to (and still do) find organizations like Green Peace   irritating; chasing around ships trying to save whales and polar bears. Also until a few years ago I wasn’t convinced that human activity was the main cause of climate change, after all world climate has changed throughout the planets history; wasn’t there like a mini-ice age a few hundred years ago? So what’s different now, what’s all this fuss about trying to save the planet? While it is true that climate does change over time, after reading more about the issue it became pretty clear to me that human activity has unnaturally sped up climate change. Ever since industrialization began in Europe around 150 years ago the temperatures have been shooting up. Admittedly there is still some debate on this; I heard the other da...

Chris Adwar on the piano.

  Unfresh is the debut album from new artist Andy Allo and is her attempt to get noticed among the crowded R&B/Neo-Soul genre. With so much talent in this genre it is sometimes hard to find the artists who are trying something different. With Unfresh Andy Allo manages to craft an album that will get repeated listens.  Andy sets out to make an album that mostly deals with love & relationships which she does in an honest way. This is a woman, who has seen the different sides of love and you sort of feel like she is reading words straight from her diary. On the first song “Fly Away” however Andy raps, yes raps about hope amidst depression and loss what with the economy just barely recovering from a depression. The song doesn’t really feel like a triumphant anthem but sort of a “just hold-on” even with everything that’s going on.  “Come Home To Me” is the next song on the album and is a beautiful, smooth R&B track and is...

Following reports of the illegal sale of Kenyan identification papers to foreigners, the government issued a directive to restrict issuance of identification papers to ethnically Somali individuals (whether from Somalia or Kenyan-born). We met Abdullahi Ahmed, a Kenyan journalist, who explained how directives such as these are affecting Kenyan citizens of Somali origin. “You can’t go to college without an ID.”, he reminded us. Any Somalian reading this please contact me- kenyachristian@live.com. There is some writing I'm working on and would like to translate it from English to Somali.

Here is some new music to get you in the festive mood. Listen: Harry Kimani - "Away in a Manger" Some Chris Bitok as a bonus. Listen: Chris Bitok - "Joy to the World"

featuring Kevohyout,Holydave,Othole,Jah ,Xpo and Mr Googs Video: Mr.T - "Finje Finje"

Some new Sade from her upcoming album Soldier of Love. Listen: Sade - "Soldier Of Love"

Previously: Pastor Cox about Jay-Z's lyrics

As a part of their Staying Alive initiative, MTV now bring the drama series Shuga which is under MTV Ignite. MTV Ignite is a campaign in Kenya , Ukraine & Trinidad & Tobago which aims at creating awareness amongst youth on HIV/AIDS and changing their sexual behavior. The Shuga series is one of the TV programmes to launch the campaign and is aimed at the Kenyan youth market. Set in modern-day Nairobi , Shuga follows the lives of a group of young Kenyans Skola ( David Omwange ), Ty ( Pepe Haze ), Ayira ( Luipta Nyong’o ), Sindi ( Valerie Kimani ), Violet ( Sharon Olago ), Virginia ( Eva Kanyang’onda ), Leo ( Nicholas Mutuma ) & Kennedy ( Anthony Mwangi .) As it is a show specifically aimed at HIV/AIDs awareness, it mainly focuses on these young Kenyans’ sexual lives as they interact with each other. Ayira is a beautiful and ambitious lady who wants to make it in the world give take her struggling mum and sister a good life. To achieve this she ends up getting intimat...

I recently made my way over to Kuona Trust in Hurlingham to check out the Writing With Light launch. This is an exhibition by 12 upcoming photographers who just finished a 14 week photography workshop facilitated by pro photographer Sylvia Gichia . This was workshop intended to improve the skills of upcoming photographers, and help them improve their individual styles. I arrived about half an hour into the start of the exhibition and there were already quite a number of people there. After greeting a few people I immediately went to check out the gallery of pictures. As you enter the exhibition there is a small room with a TV set up in one corner which was playing slides of photos of the photographers during the workshop. This made the photographers stories and journeys come alive as you see the different activities they took part in to get to their debut exhibition. Hanging from the ceiling on rolls of film were pictures of the photographers; each picture with accompanying brief...

The Imagine Company invites you to an evening of performance and exhibition, showcasing the outcome of a two month mentorship programme. Presenting Theatre: Christine Kimani mentored by Cajetan Boy, Music: Wafalme mentored by Calif Records, Performance Poetry: Rhoda Jura mentored by Njeri Wangari & Steve Partington and more. Date: Sunday 13th December, 2009 Time: 6:00 pm Venue: Louis Leakey Auditorium,Kenya National Museum, Museum Hill Tickets: Ksh500(Advance) Ksh600(At Gate) Mpesa 0725-246983,  ZAP 0734-024295

The band playing in the video is Ma3

Ushahidi, which means ”testimony” in Swahili, is a website that was developed to map reports of violence in Kenya after the post-election fallout at the beginning of 2008. We’re working to build a new platform that can be used anywhere in the world, and this blog tells some of that story. Ushahidi’s roots are in the collaboration of Kenyan citizen journalists during a time of crisis. read more here

Date: 6th - 8th December 2009 Venue: outside The Hilton, Moi avenue Entry: Free

featuring Kambua & Isaac Kahurah

featuring Astar

In Part 2 of this interview with Afro-Jazz artist Nita Hungu we discuss the theme of her album, Gospel musics growing popularity in Kenya, does she listen to secular music and more. Enjoy! ::KenyaChristian:: What’s the theme of the album? Nita Hungu:  As mentioned earlier my music centres around love and life. There are some love songs on the album (man-woman love) with God being the umbrella and under that I think that Christians need to write about things that affect Christians. So like if my heart got broken as a musician I need to write about it cause I think everyone goes through these things it’s just that most people are afraid to put it out there I believe God wants to give us solutions for our everyday experiences. ::KC:: Do you find that a lot of Christian artists are not real with the things they talk about and act too spiritual, and is that something you’re trying to talk about? NH: Well, no not really. I feel that everyone is different and has their own ca...

Part Two here (O.K I'm not a big fan of Jay-Z, but I have followed his music.Although he is a very talented rapper, the fact is he has been comparing himself to God for a long time now. If I listed the times he has blasphemed in his music it would be very long. I think it's about time Christians started challenging and calling out these celebs, and not be intimidated by their fame.)

Opening 28th November ‘09, Kuona Trust, 6pm—9pm 12 participants who actively attended a 14-week photography workshop at Kuona facilitated by Pro-photographer, Sylvia N. Gichia. They will be showcasing their best works from the workshop. The show aims to display the different creative artistic styles, and expertise nurtured and achieved within the 14 weeks. The workshops covered topics inclusive of abstract, street, fashion, editing and composition, journalism amongst others. The photographers showcasing their work include:  Clifford Agumbi, Chao Sio, Dorota Panczyk, Edlam Yemeru, Humphrey Kagiri, Julian Njoroge, Juan Morales, Jayne Ekema, Steve Obeto, Wangari Muikia and Wachira Mwangi. The exhibition runs until 11 December 2009.

O.K, O.K I admit it, I can't wait to watch this movie!

Here is an interview Radio France Internationale conducted with Penya Africa director Robert Wawero and producer Marko Roca . They talk about Penya artists, how Muthoni was signed, the New African Sound, who received a death threat and more! Listen: Wawero interview on RFI

“Kenya: A Nation of Bystanders" Boniface Mwangi , whose work you’ve probably seen at the “Kenya Burning” photo exhibition and book about the post-election violence, is the director of Picha Mtaani , an award-winning photo-journalist, a husband and a father. He believes Kenya is ‘a nation of by-standers’.  Previously: Blinky Bill @ Kuweni Serious

O.K, this was unexpected but it just reminds us how human we all are. Keep him in your prayers, I will say his music has really strengthened my faith ever since I started listening to it. Hip hop artist Da' T.R.U.T.H. announced on his website that he is taking a sabbatical from ministry after a "moral indiscretion" in his personal life. In the statement, Emanuel L. Lambert, Jr, - aka Da' T.R.U.T.H. - said that he has apologized to his wife and family and is working towards reconciliation with the help of his church, pastor and restoration team. In May, hip hop artist The Ambassador was released from his label after a "moral failure in his marriage." And currently in the news, BeBe Winans arrest in February on domestic assault charges against his ex-wife Debbie. Continue reading here and here