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DON’T STOP ‘TIL YOU GET
ENOUGH A F R I C A’ S P R E M I E R O N L I N E M AG A Z I N E F O R P O S I T I V E E N T E R TA I N M E N T
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ONLIN
E MED IA NET WO
RK
NERVE CENTER
Published by UNDER THE BAOBAB PRODUCTIONS letsmeet@underthebaobab.net
Management • Articles • Video Ring Leader a.k.a Okwi Okoh Art Direction • Design & Layout Design Jockey a.k.a Vikki Keingati Photography by CLICK www.click.co.ke
Sharp Shooter a.k.a Mwangi Kirubi Marksman a.k.a Wagema Munyori Sniper a.k.a Ciku Mugwe
SPECIAL THANKS Our Dad in Heaven Kaizen Ndombolo Anthony Ojwando All our friends and family
on the cover
THE BLUEPRINT
IT’S GOOD TO TAKE stock regularly. Otherwise you could go through life without realising how far you’ve come, or where you need to go next. We try to take stock regularly at the KWELI Nerve Centre. We ask ourselves questions like: who are we? why are we here? The KWELI Media Network is a hub for positive, progressive, conscious and inspired content. We are constantly looking for innovative ways to use media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, blogs, sites, mobile and tablet apps to get our stories delivered to you in a speedy, informative and relevant manner. We are here for a number of reasons: 1) We believe that there’s huge demand for “good” African content e.g. photos, films, publications, events, TV shows, websites and documentaries. 2) We believe that God gives each person a unique talent or contribution to make, you gotta use it or you’re gonna lose it. We’d rather use ours. And we’ll also keep you informed about people who
are doing the same. 3) It’s fun. 4) Some of the things we find ourselves doing have never been before, so we get “to put a ring on it”! We plan to keep learning how to serve you guys better. So please don’t be shy, give us constructive feedback as often as possible i.e. what you like to read, what you like to read about, how you like to read. We plan to grow in the locations we report from and in the events and topics we cover. Currently we cover Nairobi’s “positive entertainment” scene with frequent updates and pix from events on our Facebook page and website. We also publish East Africa’s premier online magazine for positive entertainment on a monthly basis. This month we’ve asked KWELI’s biggest fan and fellow creative Kaizen Ndombolo to put some perspective on the various gigs that we covered in April. You can also read the latest issue on our Facebook page and website. Enjoy!
God Bless KWELI Nerve Center
Sarah Mitaru, Musician Snapped by Mwangi Kirubi a.k.a SHARP SHOOTER Graphic effects by Vikki Keingati a.k.a. DESIGN JOCKEY
KWELI Magazine
KWELIMedia
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KWELI is published and distributed by Under the Baobab Productions Limited. © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. If you copy us or any of our ideas we’ll | come for you. ISSUE 10
MAY 11 3
SNIPER SNAPPED IT
DON’T STOP ‘TIL YOU GET
ENOUGH KAIZEN NDOMBOLO WROTE IT & SHARP SHOOTER SNAPPED ‘EM
KAIZEN NDOMBOLO’S LOVE FOR KWELI and our mission has kept us going us during some tough times. He is also a freelance writer who has worked all over the continent and specialises in writing about Africa’s social and cultural affairs. We broke with routine and asked him for a commentary on Nairobi’s arts scene - especially in the month of April when he was visiting Nairobi - and here’s what he had to say. > ISSUE 10 | MAY 11 5
WHEN KWELI’S RING LEADER and DESIGN JOCKEY asked me to write this feature, I immediately recalled our numerous conversations about Africa’s need for its own story tellers, and got very excited by the opportunity to share my views on this theme so here goes... “Until lions learn to write, the hunters will tell their story for them.” What a month it’s been. Libyan democrats went to the trenches, Yemen and Syria launched “Tahrir Square” revolutions, Ugandans took to the streets to protest inflation, the good luck that follows Nigeria’s president came through again for him at the ballot box and certain high-profile Kenyans travelled to The Hague to defend - or in some cases explain themselves.
And that’s just to name a few of the issues that have dominated headlines in recent weeks... Things have been far less grim but equally gridlocked on the entertainment scene here in Nairobi. I hear KWELI’S SHARP SHOOTER, SNIPER and MARKSMAN have been hardpressed to Click on everything and get their amazing snaps out for you guys to enjoy before the next great gig comes along. It’s been concerts by Sarah Mitaru, Elani, the regular - but never dull - ‘A-ffair’ and Kinanda Festival, ‘Katika’, the monthly Gospel music dance event featuring Dejay Sparrxx, musicals like The Unforgettable Dance, Colour of God and of course the definitive Groove Awards. >
Click here
for more photos from The Unforgettable Dance
TOP & EXTREME LEFT: Scenes from the Colour of God musical ABOVE, L to R: Scenes from The Unforgettable Dance musical
ISSUE 10 | MAY 11 7
And once again, that’s just to name a few of the positive, conscious events that took place in April, so even if you’re not mentioned here, please feel the love as we all learn and grow. But you know what? Despite all the acts mentioned above, it’s not ENOUGH. Let’s take a look at America for example. Say what you like, but that’s a country, and a group of people that are constantly writing and rewriting their own story. Their place in history is perpetually being stamped on the world’s collective consciousness by their enormous reservoir of filmmakers, writers, musicians, dancers, poets, painters, sculptors, bloggers, graphic artists, actors, tv shows, politicians and speech writers.
In fact, I’m pretty sure that all sorts of “Benjamins” are being tossed around to bring the killing of Osama to the big screen post-haste. Will and Kate’s wedding got even local media into such a frenzy that one of our anchors was wearing a “penguin suit” while leading us through their coverage: one of the stories showed a of a wellknown wedding magazine publisher having an “English breakfast” while discussing the ‘Royal Wedding’. Wow. There are all sorts of precious things lying beneath the feet of most Africans. Our crude oil, diamonds, cocoa, gold, bauxite, platinum and uranium are highly sought and even fought over. Once we can install leaders who aren’t only distinguished
ABOVE L to R: Esther Wahome, Carol Nanjie, Kambua, Masha Mapenzi, Jackie Kotira & Daddy Owen accepted four awards for their song ‘Saluti’ which won ‘Song of the Year’, KWELI |ofISSUE 10 | MAY 11 8‘Collabo the Year’ and ‘Video of the Year’
>
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR Daddy Owen FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR Alice Kamande DUO/GROUP OF THE YEAR BMF NEW ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR Marvelous SONG OF THE YEAR Saluti – Daddy Owen and Friends WORSHIP SONG OF THE YEAR I’m in the Race- Paul Mwai ALBUM OF THE YEAR Racing Up – Paul Mwai HIP HOP SONG OF THE YEAR Hello – Juliani AUDIO PRODUCER OF THE YEAR Dr. Eddie VIDEO PRODUCER J Blessing VIDEO OF THE YEAR Saluti – Daddy Owen COLLABO OF THE YEAR Saluti – Daddy Owen and Friends RAGGA/REGGAE SONG OF THE YEAR Praise Him - Alemba & Sadic DANCE GROUP OF THE YEAR Saints GOSPEL RADIO SHOW OF THE YEAR Gospel Sunday – MILELE FM GOSPEL TV SHOW OF THE YEAR Crossover 101 – NTV RADIO PRESENTER OF THE YEAR Syombua wa Mwele – MUSYI FM DJ OF THE YEAR DJ Sadiq RIFT VALLEY SONG OF THE YEAR Chesireret – Emily Chebet EASTERN SONG OF THE YEAR Mivango Ya Amaitha – John Mbaka CENTRAL SONG OF THE YEAR Tigana na Andu – Dennis Mutara NYANZA SONG OF THE YEAR Owinjore Gi Pako - Carol Nyakwaka COAST OF THE YEAR Adonai – Marion Shako WESTERN SONG OF THE YEAR Vuyanzi – Lynett Wephukulu ARTIST OF THE YEAR (UGANDA) Exodus ARTIST OF THE YEAR (TANZANIA) Christina Shusho ARTIST OF THE YEAR (RWANDA) Blessed Sisters ARTIST OF THE YEAR (SOUTHERN SUDAN) Gen. Manasseh Mathiang
LEFT: Juliani’s song ‘Hello’ won the ‘Hip Hop Song of the Year’ award ABOVE: Gen. Manasseh Mathiang won the ‘Artist of the Year – Southern Sudan’ award
ARTIST OF THE YEAR (BURUNDI) Joy Nkundimana ISSUE 10 | MAY 11 9
by their unparalleled greed, many of us will probably be quite wealthy in the years to come, or at least well taken care of by the medical, educational and social welfare systems that will be created. We’ll be RICH, but we’ll never be GREAT until we unleash our creatives. As someone1 greatly admired at the Nerve Centre once said “Africa punishes its creatives”. We prefer cheesy soaps and predictable stage productions to original content based on local events and situations. It doesn’t matter if the musician on stage is doing things with female fans that should land them behind bars, we generally prefer to spend money and time on their music than on the band next door. I believe the trend is changing slowly. A visit to places like the Kuona Trust Centre for Visual Arts, the GoDown Arts Centre, Alliance Francaise, the Goethe Institute,
Click here
for more photos of The Groove Awards 2011
10 KWELI | ISSUE 10 | MAY 11
will demonstrate that Kenya’s art scene is becoming increasingly vibrant and dynamic. But it’s not ENOUGH. The trend here is that once something is selling, almost everyone else jumps in. So if - for instance - Gospel music is hot right now, then everyone will make Gospel music. And not only will they make Gospel music, it will all sound the same. It quickly stops being about the message, the meaning and moving society forward, and turns into a hunt for fame which is “the worst drug known to man, cuz it’s stronger than heroin, when you can look in the mirror, like, there I am!” 2... So instead of celebrating the artist that is Juliani, and taking in his interpretations of the world and listening to his inspired messages, many of us are busy trying to decode his sound so that we can quickly acquire his level of commercial success and popularity.
FAR LEFT: Neema LEFT, Top to Bottom: Alice Kamande, Jimmi Gait, Kambua
And that’s how anyone with the intention to do be truly creative and expressive is immediately punished - emotionally, spiritually, sometimes physically (too many shows so as to make ends meet) and definitely financially. Which one of us reading this would have been brave enough to tell our folks we wanted to be a sculptor, musician, photographer or goal keeper back in the day? The would-be sculptor became a lawyer, the musician became a doctor and the photographer became an accountant. Don’t get me wrong, medicine, law and the financial services abound with creativity. How else do you explain the hunt for a malaria vaccine, the Hague and mobile
We’ll be RICH, BUT we’ll never be GREAT until we UNLEASH our .
creatives
money? But in Africa, those sectors are extremely well covered. Its time to start unleashing the story tellers, the people who are going to tell the account of our coming of age, the “visual stenographers”3. But let’s be careful: thanks to the exploits of creatives like Dennis Oliech, Eric Wainaina and the late Mohammed Amin, the barriers to pursuing your art have come down somewhat. But don’t get it twisted. Each of those individuals has found the befuddling link between creativity, consistency and your bank balance. And that’s probably why your folks are now willing to listen. You can’t argue with a Porsche Cayenne! But please follow your own God-given path and you will find the kind of fulfillment and contentment that shillings can’t buy. And even if you don’t cash in, you will be celebrated and admired - at least within the pages of this publication. ☐
www.click.co.ke PHOTOGRAPHY F OR PUBL ICATION S • W EDDI NGS F EATURES • CORPORATE EVENTS snap@click.co.ke • +254 722 701852 • +254 722 100123 • +254 722 952221
1 Blinky Bill, Just A Band 2 Lost Ones by Jay Z ft. Chrisette Michele 3 I Come Prepared by K’naan ft. Damian Marley
ISSUE 10 | MAY 11 11
ANTHONY OJWANDO WROTE IT & SHARP SHOOTER SNAPPED ‘EM
12 KWELI | ISSUE 10 | MAY 11
issue
In this section we profile individuals or organizations that have shrugged off apathy to tackle the problems in our society.
THE REAL
KENYA
THE MOVEMENT, THE CALL AND THE DESTINY
SINCE THE promulgation of the new constitution in August 2010, Kenya has been on the threshold of monumental institutional and spiritual reforms. As the nation braces for the new dispensation, the Church of Christ has by no means been left behind in playing a key role in the direction the Lord God wants us to take as a nation. For sometime now the Lord had laid upon the hearts of a few pastors and church leaders from around the country the need to unite the church in prayers for the nation at this time in our history. God’s will for Kenya is to make us a lighthouse in Africa. According to prophecy given about Kenya in the past, we are a father nation, a place of refuge for many. Yet in recent years, we have seen the church divided on political lines, which almost threw the country to chaos after the controversial 2007 Presidential elections. Therefore since February this year, the Nakuru Council of Church Elders started bringing together church leaders and pastors and evangelists from the new counties all over the nation and mobilizing prayer meetings to seek direction over a movement that
would have the following vision and mission: 1 To get Kenya ready for national transformation as we prepare for our Jubilee (50 years of independence) in 2013. This is a time foreseen of national release and restoration therefore a need to start laying the appropriate spiritual foundation. 2 Next year being an election year, it is time to deal with the forces that divided us through prayer and seeking God for a peaceful election season. 3 To build a culture of prayer by mobilizing up to one million Christians to pray and work for the transformation of Kenya. 4 Organizing and coordinating national prayer and fasting chains and events over the next one year. > ISSUE 10 | MAY 11 13
Pastor Simon Mbevi, founder of Transform Kenya
The elders then formed a National Task Force consisting of Bishop Joseph Likavo (Eldoret), Missionary Hezron Wachira (Nakuru), Apostle John Kimani William (Nakuru), Dr. Luke Mwangi (Nairobi), Missionary Andrew Nganga (Nyeri), and Pastor Simon Mbevi (Nairobi) to coordinate the operations of what was now known as the God Bless Kenya Prayer Movement. This May, the Task Force is coordinating the county dedication caravan that will 14 KWELI | ISSUE 10 | MAY 11
go to each of the forty seven counties and bring together local government and church leaders and congregations to dedicating that county’s people, resources and agenda to God as opposed to local customs and deities that have been responsible for vices and problems than for the good of the people. God Bless Kenya is a movement without leaders but with a leadership and mandate from Heaven to see
Kenya transformed to its rightful place in this generation. Our prayer is for the vision to be moving forward and for the nation to be ready for the forthcoming transformation. �
If you want to get involved with the God Bless Kenya movement, register on www.godblesskenya.org
Keep up with KWELI! For updates on positive entertainment, events, stories, discussions, music, videos, and photos in Kenya and beyond.
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