Kikuyu musicians leading in inciting ethnic violence
Editor's Choice 02:16
Monday, June 25, 2012- DISCLAIMER: This post
should NOT be used to attack a community or vernacular music. NOT all
vernacular music is bad. NOT all members of any given community are
chauvinistic and archaic in their thinking. Any comments that are even
remotely inflammatory will be deleted. Kenya is bigger than all of us!
I listen to
Kikuyu music, both secular and gospel. A lot of Kikuyu music is very informative
and the beat is quite catchy.
Current song
I am jamming to is Agiginyani by Shiru wa GP. An awesome
keep-your-head-up gospel song.
My attention
has been drawn to an emerging genre of Kikuyu music that is inflammatory,
provocative and in very bad taste. In a country that is yet to heal after the
post-election violence, these songs are a harbinger of bad tidings.
I shall not
sit back and watch my country burn. This post is blowing the whistle. I do not
know the extent of the fire that these songs have caused. What I know is the
Demathew, Kamande and Muigai are some of the most popular Kikuyu musicians with
mega sales of their VCDs. Thus I shudder to imagine the number of households
that are playing these songs.
For the many
who cannot hear Kikuyu, I have translated snippets of the songs and in
Demathew’s case explained the nuances as he sings in parables. You can ask your
Kikuyu friends to translate further.
Uhuru
ni Witu (Uhuru is Ours) –
Kamande wa Kioi
Translated
snippets:
Greetings
people of the house of Gikuyu and Mumbi. I bring you a message from all Kikuyu
musicians. This is a message from God. Uhuru is the Moses of the Kikuyu nation.
He is meant to move Kikuyus from Egypt to Canaan. Do not agree to be divided.
Let all votes go to him. He is ours. He is anointed by God, poured oil on.
Raila, there
is a call. Go to Mama Ngina’s house, a king has been born there. Once there ask
where Uhuru is seated and pour oil on him. Just like Samuel did for David in
the Bible. Stop chasing the wind Agwambo, go to Icaweri and anoint Uhuru.
You thump
your chest about Hague, is Hague your mother’s? There is a curse from God.
Philistines who do not circumcise cannot lead Israel. When Abraham stressed
God, he was told to go get cut, even you General of Migingo, your knife is
being sharpened.
Listen to the
entire song here.
Hague
Bound – Muigai Wa Njoroge and Muhiko
Translated
snippets:
Question: If
it was you who is being pushed to The Hague what would you do?
Answer: I
would call my family and divide up my property and then ask my mother to pray
for me.
Question:
What if you knew that Hague you are being pushed there by an uncircumcised man
who wants to push you there and take over your wife and all your wealth? A man
who can do anything to ensure you are in problems.
Answer: There
it is better to die. Things for a man are not governed by an uncircumcised man.
I would kill him. Its better they increase my charges.
Question:
What would you tell your crying supporters as you are being shipped to Hague?
Answer: I
would tell them to pray for me and know I am being persecuted for my love of my
community.
Question:
When you get to Hague how you would ensure the white man does not cheat you?
Answer: I
would ask for proceedings to be done in Kikuyu.
Question:
When on the dock what would you be thinking of the uncircumcised man who is the
source of your predicament?
Answer: I
would ask God to forgive him. I would also ask that he gets circumcised so that
he matures mentally. I would also ask Kenyans to be very wary of that man.
Listen to
entire song here.
Mwaka
wa hiti (The year of the hyena) – Demathew
Translated
and explained snippets:
As Demathew I
prophesize and let the stones hear me if men wont.
It is now the
year of the hyena. Who will teach you and your ears are blocked?
When a man is
seated he sees further than a boy on top of a tree.
You are like
a greedy hyena seeing a man walk and following him hoping that his arm will
drop off. You follow him till he boards the train and the arm does not drop and
you never eat. (A reference to all that may benefit from ICC)
Before Jesus
was crucified He stood in the court Judge Pilato and he answered all questions,
Judge Pilato said Jesus is free but the crowd asked that a thief be freed
instead. (ICC will show Uhuru’s innocence)
Where are you
(Peter Kenneth) from? If you were one of us, you would be pained by the people
burnt in Kiambaa church. My brother lost his property in Kisumu, how can you
tell us he (Raila) is our community’s friend.
Father (Jomo
Kenyatta) I feel sad when I see your son (Uhuru) being persecuted by men of
ill-will and a woman (Martha Karua) is carrying their bags.
In-law
(Kalonzo) things are not going well for you now. You are clueless and your
matters are now being discussed by women in the market. But I still remember
how you saved me (after 2007 elections) when leopards had attacked me.
Listen to the
entire song here.
After
listening to these three songs I shuddered. If the leading lights of Kikuyu
music are doing this, then how much more prevalent is it? Are other communities
also producing such inciteful vernacular songs? This is a ticking time bomb
right under our noses!
Let us think
of how to put out this fire before it is too late!
Moderate Kenyans
This is very unfortunate..
mmh i never heard of this songs untill now!who is fueling hatred now if not you?????am left to wonder!!!
u shud alxo listen 2 luo songs alxo nd witness tha same
Kamande in Luo means..Bite his Dick..very stupid uninformed musician!!You are circumcised yet you are being beaten by you even pregnant wife..
I hope the interpretation is accurate. If it is, I strongly propose that NCIC investigates and bring such issues to the public for debate. I believe that the more we ventilate regarding these issues of tribal stereotypes the more we shall get to know the truth about our cultures. Circumcision must seize from being a cultural undertaking and be looked at as a medical procedure at least by an enlightened Kenyan, hence a necessity.
I guess it is time we got to interact with the real people and not what our fathers (whom I consider dinosaurs in modern day philosophy). I have been brought up in Kisumu (a cosmopolitan city, my 1st language was kiswahili n sheng'... it took my parents to take me to shagz to visit my shosho when she hotly contested the fact tht she cannot speak to me in Swahili n I nid to know dholuo)I went to a multicultural primary skul, with almost all the major tribes in kenya including asians, proceeded to a national skul and ended up in KU. All the while I have had very close friends from all communities. I don't know the difference between a Luo/ Kikuyu, Luhya, Kalenjin, Kamba, Mijikenda, Pokomo, Somali when it comes to their ability to lead. I guess, we as the youth of this country need to take up the role of nationalizing our brand Kenya as we appreciate our cultural diversity and use the diversity to enrich the fabric of nationhood rather than tear it.
(Mkenya daima)
We should be vigil, we cannot allow to be divided along tribal lines,we can not afford another bloodshed courtesy of some stupid musicians,Kenya is watching!!!!!
I have a copy of all those songs and i really enjoyed the songs since those musician dnt murmur like wht we do, they normally do it courageously with alot of facts.
I couldnt agree more they are singing their heart out and it is bitter truth that is why it selling hotly by the way where can i get a cd?.Iknow some of dholuo too which if translated would be even worst than this xpecially ,cheating tinga that he is already prezo and yet we havent vote is that not inciting?BY THE WAY EVEN YOU PUBLISHING THIS IS INCITING YOU NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED
All those saying there are luo versions please give us those lines,which song and the artist not just wild allegations or yapping around,
anayway i thot being katwad makes u a man then cud some one tell me why these so called "men" wanapigwa na mabibi zao even by pregnant women,aa hiyo song niya kuwa console
The songs do not incite any ethnic violence....they are just informative songs for the house of mumbi to know the truth and be wise when elections come. If you call this incitement then you are troubleshooting as you don't understand kikuyu. I urge you to stick to the language you are conversant with and stop spreading lies.
Kikuyus you can rule forever if you like,but this cut thing being repeated every time we face elections is very sad and absurd to our luo brothers.Why should we insult them as if they are not Kenyans.
To the musicians doing this to get money,you cannot buy Kenya elsewhere with money,there is only one Kenya,no other Kenya can be found elsewhere in the world market.
God gave us Kenya to live and appreciate each other,if we cannot do that,God can teach us that in a srious and memorable way even to the generations to come.
Lets all take care.watch our passions and be Kenyans.
I don't want to believe that this is happening.
I am Kikuyu and not intrested in the songs. Why dont they compose songs that bring unity as opposed to division
THIS IS VERY TRUE!But this time round kikuyus will not be caught unawares!
Muthuri aikaire thii onaga haraya biu gwi kihii kiri muti uiguru,nawe wituite hiti gukoroka ume mundu thutha ii guoko ni gucuhu, ukamumagaria nginya oro Icaweri na guoko gutigwe ii ukainuka uhutite. Let musicians sing there are political songs jst lyk the others sing. ONYI PAPA JEY, KEN WAMARIA, etc. DEMATHEW JUU
m a kyuk, i know all this songs, but my fellow kenyans take it from me thats no the right interpretation.
NOW, TO MR FUCKING INTERPRETER, WHAT R U TRYING HEAR U USELESS BRAT. SERIOUSLY WAT DO U GAIN FROM THIS.
2. KWANINI ITS ONLY KYUK SONGS,AND IF THATS THE CASE THEN WAT DO U WANT US PPLE 2 DO WITH UA STUPID INTERPRETATIONS.
3. U ACTUALLY BELONG TO THE DEVIL.
FINALLY
U R THE DEVIL IN RED WALKING AMONGST US.
kikuyus are many but you write with passion like you alone are the only Kikuyu.plse the fellow who interpreted the songs,God bless you so much.You are really a kenyan.
very very very....unfortunately, there are some supporting this madness.
About culture; there are those who circumsize, those who bury there dead with live cows, inherit wives, bury people sitted, marry there close relatives, etc etc...
Let us celebrate our cultural diversities without deamining anyone.
I LOVE U ALL AS KENYANS
Since when have men used testicles and phalus to lead a nation. Who uses his foreskin to think and reason. Does absence of a foreskin make you intelligent. Wacheni ujinga. Kenyans should not allow criminals to rule the country. There is no tribe in Kenya which more that other tribes compounded. Sing songs to unify the country, not to character assassinate leaders. Retrogressive cultural ideologies and tribal bigots have no place in modern Kenya. It is only the courageous who will rule Kenya and not cowards seeking comfort in their tribal cocoons.
Secondec
Hating someone solely based on their tribe is very base. It says alot about you.
THis things have been said every time from years to years now. If anything should be anything, then this is just a lighter note of viewing things like a comical effect on things(Redykulus ... Churchill live... and stuff) We should be locked on the politicians themselves and listen to the things they say. HATE SPEECH.. tupa yeye ndani!! UCHOCHEZI WA GHASIA ... tupa yeye ndani.
should they hear or not who have told them not to sing for their leaders we know your intention when you follow us even in our homes people who do not even allow others to have rallies in their yardstick and want to have rallies in foreighland even their neighbours are not around what can they tell people their work is mouthiasis
What is with these Kikuyus? if they arent robbing and killing pple they are raping their daughters and grandmoms now they are hating??
This is Kenya, just the other day a certain popular and influential politician from my place invited us to attend a "vijana pamoja pamoja na...." forum in some place outside Nairobi, to my surprise the young stars who attended were all invited in the name of peace but later turned into something else.... This were the words of Mheshimiwa "Police watatulinda msikubali kama jamii ya ...... 'fulani' atuongose labda tukiwa tumekufa wote. Needless to say he promised us some weapons for our "self defense" as he calls it but the truth is something fishy is cooking up in my place.
Look at rwanda before the genocide, I will not advocate/coarce kenyans to live in harmony if they are not willing. Let us pay one day for our actions/inactions. Look at the disputed elections in2007 and the pictures that filled the international news, were it not for the persistence of Kofi Annan where would we have ended? Rwandese learnt lessons kenyans will never learn until we butcher each other as the western news media justifies our primitive energy. For the hate mongers go on, one day you or your kin/grand child will pay for it.
this foolish idiots are not doing the kikuyus any good.if you sing for kikuyu what will the over forty other tribes do???they will all stand together against you as one tribe. they sing to earn money from uhuru and others,,but this one will just cost you,,and damage your reputation,,this will be the end of your greedy music idiots,,you are cursed and you are trying to spill blood of the just,,shindwe pepo mbaya,,shetani akulaki ahera,,
you shud also translate others from the rest of the tribes coz thi is just wat u understood,wat about others.u r inciting
if its all about this let stop mother tongue songs, either gospel or circular. becoz people don't appreciate where they come from.
Never thinks all Luos were not Circumcised,u pple stop this Madness..
You can sing but your people will continue to be IDPs....look at Kenyatta, Moi & Kibaki governments..this will lead to injury to ur own.Don't think other tribes will watch you, say & Do what you are singing.It is sad that some few individuals think they are smart.It is sad for men to boast over a foreskin..most whites are not circum..yet they do better! other tribes don't talk about their manhood...like Kisii, luyhias, Kal, masaai, yet they are circum...wake up you primitive guys! Kenya is greater than your silly stuff!!
I'll never buy any music by those tribal inciters! No Pastor should ever allow them on his pulpit! They are agents of the DEVIL! May they rot in hell! Long Live Kenya.
nkt! God help...
Lets condemn these haate mongers no matter the tribe. Luo songs rarely demean other communities. The young shud teach the old that we cant remain tribalists n stil develop this country. I av never heard Luos look down upon others coz they didnt remove their teeth.
Utter ROT!
I THINK MOST OF THE COMMENTS HERE REFLECT MORE HATE THAN WHAT THE SONGS ARE PURPOTED TO DO. KENYANS LETS MATURE UP POLITICALLY AN LEARN TO ACCEPT OUR BROTHERS.
i think circumcision is dangerous coz it does not just shorten the thing but takes away a piece of a man,s brains - thinking capacity. BAN CIRCUMCISION. to prove this just listen to those who claim to be circumcised reasoning
hahahahahahahahahahhHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAHHAHAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHGAHAHAHAHHAAHHAAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHHA..FUNNY KENYANSS!!STOP TRIBALISM GUYS..This seems like a war of words to see who wins t.totally immature..Lets unite to fight Primitive mentality..
I am a Kikuyu and this of thing is really sad.
We, who should know better are actually saying these things!!?
These chaps should learn - violence begets violence - just do not be the instigator.
It would be an eye opener and a cautionary example if the President (a Kikuyu) set an example and jailed these shameless bastards.
Proud Kikuyu
Simon.
hahaha i think circumcision retards men. any scientist to investigate this claim. carryout research in central province, i bet result will confirm this
i am a God fearing kikuyu and i am sure whoever knows God should not sing or entertain such a hatred song,God have mercy on them
We want to see action against these musician by Kibunja team. They should not earn free money while Kenyans are busy sharpening pangas ready to kill each other.
Meanwhile , all vernacular FM stations should be done away with for the peace of this country.Moi was right!
mzalendo sikibunja
I cringe at the thought of such messages. Its sad that after the 2007-8 horrific experience some Kenyans dare compose such evil songs. Lets have the Kibunja Commission bring these guys to book so that NO ONE dare repeats this.
we are hated by all the other tribes because of such morons.
99% of current idps are our people. STOP THIS NONESENSE
Typical Kikuyu approach, all talk and no action. The time is coming, si mna jua pahali Kisumu iko ? you are free to try
PEACE TO ALL KENYANS - TPENDANE WOTE