Essays, Gender, Health, Religion, Sexuality, Socio-cultural

What About Nerea?

Brenda Wambui

“Please listen to Sauti Sol’s latest song Nerea. So done with it.” A close friend sent this message to me on Tuesday morning last week. Later in the evening, I watched the video with yet another friend. We were both irritated, and it has taken me a week to decide why.

The song is from a man to a woman he impregnated called Nerea. He is imploring her not to abort her pregnancy, citing that when a child is born, God also brings “his/her plate”, meaning that God provides, and that should she not want to raise the child, she … Read More

Essays, Gender, Security, Sexuality, Socio-cultural

I Just Wanted To Go Home

Brenda Wambui

On Saturday, the 14th of March, my friends and I had had a great evening catching up over drinks, after which we decided to check out a 50% off offer on burgers at a local coffee chain. They did not have the buns we wanted, though, so we decided to go home. I decided to take a matatu home. They asked me, “Will you be safe?” and I said “Sure! It’s not even 10 pm yet! It’s still safe!”

I was wrong. I arrived at my bus stop at 9.40 pm. At this time, the matatus that serve my … Read More

Africa, Arts, Essays, Internet, Media, Politics, Socio-cultural

Fighting the Disease

Brenda Wambui

It is my belief that we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. Our lives are made possible by those who birthed us, and those who fought so that people who look like us can live, and we must always remember this.

I was recently asked why I am no longer as vocal as I used to be about issues I am passionate about on my Facebook/Twitter pages. Nowadays, I’ll mostly talk about the music I’m listening to or how I’m feeling, and some have felt that this is shallow compared to what I shared before. I … Read More

Essays, Media, Politics

The Media Which Cried Wolf

Brenda Wambui

No street protests in support of KTN, NTV and Citizen TV, who collectively, have served Kenyans with dedication & passion over 25 years?

Saddique Shaban

The human mind is capable of amazing things, one of which is selective amnesia.

In March 2013, Uhuru Kenyatta was declared Kenya’s fourth president, and barring his supporters, no one was happier than Kenyan media houses. One could tell that as they were reporting this victory, most of them were celebrating. It was as if they had also won. What had they won? We do not know. Before this, when asked if they had any … Read More

Essays, Legal, Politics, Socio-cultural

Please Excuse This Misuse of Licensed Telecommunication Equipment

Brenda Wambui

On 22nd December 2014, Nancy Mbindalah wrote that Ishiara Level Four Hospital had been closed due to lack of water, which had been disconnected over an unpaid bill, and asked what the county government was doing about the issue. This was not the first comment she had made on the government. Before this she had said that one could not get a tender or a job in Embu without “compromising Wambora.” She had also said that she was “proud to be a Kenyan from Embu, the land of impeachments, where even an illicit brew called Gathufuria impeaches people to death.” … Read More

Africa, Economy, Essays, Politics, Socio-cultural

Injustice. Everywhere.

Brenda Wambui

The phrase “new year, new me” cannot be said to apply to the year 2015 – for it appears that it will be a continuation, and perhaps a crescendo, of the gross inhumanity we experienced in 2014.

Nigeria has suffered yet another onslaught from the terror group Boko Haram, who have killed an upward of 2,000 people in the town of Baga. Many complained that the attack did not garner nearly enough public attention and outrage, as compared to the attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo in which 17 people, mostly staff members of the magazine, were killed. A … Read More

Africa, Essays, Writing

The Year In Literature

Brenda Wambui

“and when we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard nor welcomed but when we are silent we are still afraid. So it is better to speak remembering we were never meant to survive”

Audre Lorde

These are the works that spoke to us the most in 2014. [Click the title, in bold, to go to the respective piece.]

How NOT To Approach the #MyDressMyChoice Conversation

by Olivia Kidula

“The nature of these attacks stems from the entitlement to women’s bodies. For so long women have been viewed as property, extensions of men and not their own … Read More

Essays, Politics, Security, Socio-cultural

The Security Laws (Amendment) Bill 2014

Brenda Wambui

In Kenya, we have a knack for knee jerk reactions to our problems and over reliance on legislation whenever things go wrong, especially with regards to our security. We have experienced several terror attacks from Al-Shabaab in the past four years, since our entry into Somalia, which have culminated in terror attacks in Mandera, Wajir, Lamu, among many other areas. The antidote to this, we have been made to believe, is a security amendment bill that has been proposed to parliament.

On December 11, 2014, the Parliamentary Committee on National Security and Administration (PCNSA) sent the Security Laws (Amendment) Bill, … Read More

Economy, Essays, Politics, Security

Let’s Talk About Uhuru

Brenda Wambui

I like to think that I learn something from all the reading I choose to indulge in – and in the past five years, I have read/learnt a bit about microexpressions. These are brief facial expressions that occur when a person conceals an emotion, either consciously or unconsciously. Seven of these facial expressions are universal, one of which is contempt.

Contempt is an attitude of disrespect, accompanied by intense dislike. It is quite easy to spot – it shows itself through a unilateral lip corner raise and tighten. Here are some examples:

Contempt Collage

Below is a video of Uhuru Kenyatta … Read More

Africa, Essays, Politics, Security

The Militarization Of Kenya

Brenda Wambui

On September 5th 2014, Uhuru Kenyatta caused a social media (and traditional media) standstill when he wore army fatigues for the first time in his presidency. All kinds of things were said: he looked “devilishly handsome”, “presidential”, “they fit him much better than his usual suits, he should get this tailor to make his suits”, “look at how cool my president is”, “oh my God you guys see how much swag he has”, and many others. He has done so at least once again since. This is a first for a Kenyan president: his predecessors have only worn their … Read More