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Luanda Reggae Defenders - what is your long term agenda?

Luanda Reggae Defenders is a now a popular movement with roots in Vihiga and border Siaya and Kakamega counties Attention is brought to the manner and conduct the movement has gained fame and followers, mainly the Youths. The movement capitalizes on funerals. With a poor culture of putting the dead to rest, the Reggae Defenders have taken it by storm and rebranded the infamous ‘Disco Matanga’ – disco at funeral. Reggae Defenders on move. Pic: Charles Rankings: Facebook They mobilize quickly on the day the dead will be discharged from the mortuary. They have this huge old school sound system that is over buzzing to no clear reggae song - that they hire a pickup to carry - and it has a young DJ mainly standing there than mixing anything. Often, against the rules, the casket is grabbed from a hearse vehicle and tied to a motorbike. There it will be swayed and jerk breaked between other motorbikes on the narrow roads. That, is, how a fellow soldier, often a young dead, is mourned. ...
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MOON; 25/8/2015. (Mbaya Moon)

The moon formed a hill- hard life to live.
The moon was growing brighter and bigger in the sunny evening that was heralded by a gloomy morning. Feeling sick, I decided not to look sick and visit a family. It is my present occupation so as I can pay rent. I went to the house of a single mother, daughter of soil turned a foreigner by life.

She hosted me in a neighbour's house yesterday because their house is expected to be locked by the landlord any time of day. The most used implements are the ones they took to the neighbour with a mattress. Incase the house is locked they will have some goodies out. The owner is her friend and married.

But in the house that they hosted me in- 2M away-is about to be demolished as a notice that came from Kenya Railway Office. It is near the line. April was the deadline and as they sleep each day they are startled by any movement that may be the demolishing tankers. Though the rooms are illegally owned, landlords continue to demand rent month after another. If they knew the moon was watching over their actions they would be alittle human.

Housing in Kibera is a problem. It is not easy to get even the poorest of the houses. The demand is high and there is least shifting from houses. If she is to move then she will go far from school and make children walk long to school. This may affect their convenience for one suffers from sickle cell anaemia.

Long before they ate meat. The children couldn't remembre when. For lunch they had drank porridge. For supper, the mother was going for kales. For tomorrow, God knows. But the moon will still be in the skies. How unfair! Can't the heavens see to the needs?

The children also do not know the positions they scored in their end term exams. This is because the school never gave them report cards as a result of fees balance. No one cares and they do not care too. They were not talking and only a word could come out after 'sweet' asking.

The problem is summarised by the children's response when I asked them what life is- nzuri or mbaya. They said mbaya. I was touched. Icould not tell them to smile for me to take a picture that a sponsor would like.

As I got out, more sick and tearful, I zoomed for the moon. She looked at it in the camera and liked the picture- Mbaya Moon. If it was Nzuri it could have given her a better life. Look how life has wasted her beauty. In her previous words she had regreted being born.

She headed for her kales. I headed to the chemist to treat the unknown. 

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