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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. ...

Hello Oyunga Pala

I am a fun of your articles. The last one was about Githeri man. He made us get confused whether elections were stolen or not. And that makes a young hopeful man unsure of his future and the legacy of his generation.

Oyunga, I am set to walk on river Yala, from tributary to estuary. Next week or so. I could already have done were it not for elections fever and lack of support. The purpose is to collect stories about LUGOSE. That is what the river is called by the luhya. And lugose means offence, the river has over generations offended people. Reasons why, I must talk to gold seekers, women who farm around, youths who harvest sand, men who put log bridges and all that. Fables, legends and stories around the communities I shall also collect.

I am a diarist, ten years now. This years diary is Florence with a motto - year of adventure. My books pile by my desk and I read my past days with hollowness. I strive to risk, take off blindly, courageously invite pain lest my days lack sap. After Lugose walk I will cycle around Lake Victoria. That is the ultimatum year's plan. I am interested in the lake for we live in the Nile basin. Activities and social life among the people around the lake would open up my eyes for the better. The lake region is deep with dynamic issues. It is my wish that you are equally interested.

I am now a little unconfined from the experiences I have of the past adventures. I have seen Yala in the thick of Kakamega forest when  I had cycled there. It would call for mental and physical strain. I would take a simple way, doing it on foot, combing the thickets, asking for host in communities around, being chased away in some, all because it is adventure. Long time ago savages lived better than a mad man nowadays. And friends that I share this with seems to think it is not worth.

Allow me to say that the information collected, of fauna and flora, social and economic, environment and preservation shall be used to inform any interested party.  What I collected from Izava Walk, hope you read them at the blog - saniaga.blogspot.com -keeps those who have memories with the river happy.

I am looking forward to your advice as I also attach my resume. Take me as a young brother, ready to go in the deep ocean dive just to see which stone is slippery than the other. And smile to say later, 'I lived'.

Sincerely,
Lung'afa Igunza.

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