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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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The pain of receiving technology in the Village.

My father possessed a phone a few years back long after people subscribed to what used to be a rich man’s toy. A letter (of inadequate money) used to arrive home weeks after dad gave to a person he thought would reach mom. He used to know people from other ridges and directed them to the home by a family name. One time, a messenger asked for a tax and mom complained. What followed was a case. It ended in grudges.

An owl hooting from a compound tree.

Akamba and Kenya Bus Courier Services were also unreliable. Once we hiked a long path to confirm what was not there. Heart break. Every 5th mom hoped something had been sent because that is what Dad said when he left. It never followed that regulation.

A river that has been reddened by musengeri.

Then once, anxious of Christmas day, using a village rich man’s phone, I dialed the neighbour to Dad in Nairobi. The ten numbers were too long to master. I had not overcome network problems to hear my father before it cut short. I took a lame response to mom- ‘He said he will come 20th December’- so that she may not be angered by the much she had to add on top for the call.

A death cry in the silent night.

It may not only be a village problem. It is a son of soil problem. Technology comes in with such stress. I do not know why. It was hard to own this computer. It is criminal-minded to think of owning a latest phone. I will access them long after people have exploited them. That is the fate of son of soil- clinging to the past.


Tomorrow we will harvest sorghum. Birds are wasting it.

The rate is now 4/- a minute. Gracious!

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