LONG JOURNEY TO REPACTED

Back in 2003 we used to reside in Lanet in Nakuru town, life was fine and we were an ordinary family of twelve facing the usual challenges. My Father, a chef by profession, applied for a job at the Highland Hotel in Molo and was hired. After sorting things out and tying up loose ends by around August 2003, we packed up and moved to Molo to live with him.
I went to school there along with my brothers and sisters, made friends and generally built a life around the town. Apart from the land disputes that kept coming up and still do to this day everything was peaceful. People of different tribes lived side by side with common courtesy and friendship. My best friend was John Ngige, a Kikuyu and we used to do everything together and shared the same dreams. He too was an MC and loved rap and dance. We were part of a youth group called Squash it led by Francesca Kisira and also part time Red Cross volunteers.
The years went by and 2007 came along with the campaigns and election fever. During the campaigns the Orange Democratic Party (ODM) promised equitable distribution of resources through devolution. Their opponents the Party of National Unity (PNU) claimed that it meant Majimbo a system in which people would be chased back to the native regions. It was a campaign gimmick since PNU had the same thing in their manifesto but most people took it to be gospel truth. Still, there was no violence and despite the debate people were friendly and enjoyed a good laugh at the end of everything. There was a universal craving for change in the political landscape.
People woke up early to vote on the 27th of December, it was my first time to do so and had to travel to Rhodah in Nakuru town to cast my ballot. I was also a polling agent for a PNU parliamentary candidate in Molo although I was an ODM supporter. The exercise went smoothly and there were no incidences of violence. Things started going south when the tallying was delayed for days. Suspicion ran high when the Molo constituency ODM candidate was declared winner but the media stated that it was only a provisional result and the final tally would come from Nairobi at the Electoral Commission Headquarters.
Tension was high and there were rumors that in the outskirts of town skirmishes had broken out between ODM and PNU supporters, namely the Kalenjin and the Kikuyu tribes and their sympathizers. The first Internally Displaced People (IDPs) started arriving in Molo on the 29th of December, and we, as Red Cross volunteers, were called to action. On the 30th of December Mwai Kibaki, the incumbent and PNU presidential candidate was declared winner under acrimonious circumstances with claims of widespread of rigging and vote fraud rife and loud and was hurriedly sworn in. PNU supporters celebrated for around an hour in and around town and businesses belonging to ODM supporters were looted or destroyed.
That night in the entire country was plunged into a sea of violence. I was worried since Molo is a small town and I had to watch over my siblings since my parents had traveled up country to vote. I am a Luo by tribe and we were known to have been in the ODM camp. A vast majority of Molo IDPs and Molo residents were Kikuyu and PNU stalwarts. In January, ODM friendly tribes were flushed out of their houses and told to leave and since we could not be move to the Molo IDP camp we were transported to Nakuru. We took shelter at my elder sister’s house in Rhodah. Those who didn’t have family in the town were put in the new camp at the Afraha Stadium.
Late January violence flared up in Nakuru, I went to the Nakuru Red Cross branch to offer my help. Somewhere along the way I was accosted by a rag tag band of about twenty youth who asked me about my tribe and almost attacked me but after produced my volunteer kit they let me go. I was dispatched to the Stadium where I worked in the night shift. That was where I met REPACTED members James Karongo, Lawrence Mwai and Rolland Lusioli. Eventually a peace deal was reached and the violence and tension came to an end. REPACTED had a function at Menengai Secondary school about peace and reconciliation and I was invited to perform my song titled Rejesho (restoration). Afterwards I was called to the side by Collins Oduor and Dennis Kimambo and given an envelope which contained a monetary reward for my efforts which surprised and pleased me since I had never been paid for a performance in the past. I then got to know more about REPACTED and eventually got to join as a full time member.

STREET FAMILIES

Due to poverty, diseases, violence and mistreatment, the number of loitering young girls and boys is increasing. This makes it hard to walk in the streets in terms of security where theft cases are heard now and then. Our own brothers and sisters are starving in towns going through difficulties while there are women and men out there filling their bellies with the funds raised to help get the so called chokoras out of the streets.
Even though several organisations and individuals have built homes for street families, many such children are still wndering around in major towns and have become a menace.
Post election violence increased their population in various towns like in my province Rift valley which was the most affected. Most street children no longer go to school and this is a barrier to the free education initiative. Many children are now being used to sell merchandise along the streets.Kenya will fall to the losing side if something is not done about it.

MR AND MISS RED RIBBON

Miss Red Ribbon is a charity event organized annually by Nakuru Youth groups among them REPACTED KENYA and The VOICE OF ROSES. Its a major build up activity towards World Aids Day. The event aims at eradicating stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS. It shall be held on 29th of November at one of the best Hotels in Nakuru called Bontana Hotel as from 2.00pm to 8.00pm.
All are invited to this event .There will be entertainment from SAWWA DANCERS from REPACTED,Songs from the VOICE OF ROSES , a dance for life ,and also live music from MCC JEX,Beauty Pageant and many more.
By doing this it will help to empower marginalized women to be the best they can. Its is also away of bringing people together as one to show love to the people living with HIV.

CHANGE THROUGH MUSIC

During one of our magnet theatre outreaches at the Nakuru men’s prison I met a man by the name of Cedric aka MC Sly Shy who was an artiste on remand. He was impressed with what I doing and he informed me that he was into rap and hip hop and he had written a lot of songs behind bars. We exchanged ideas and I told him to look me up once he got out. Upon the quashing of his case on 16th of October, he came to our offices and we are now working on a song about drugs called Hadi Lini which means Till When in Swahili. He wants to pass messages that can inspire behavior change in the youth of today. It was through the groups activities that I met MC Sly and I believe there are many others with talent that can be utilized.

Two weeks ago, in October 21st at the Nakuru Players theater where our base of operations is situated I ran into Moses a recovering drug addict. His father had sent him to me since he was interested in music. He had caused a lot of trouble whenever he was left idle and there was always the risk of a relapse if he wasn’t kept busy. We have been hanging out with him and his parents have noticed a slight change in his attitude. Presently we are composing a song and we are planning to produce and market it so that he can become independent since he has been reduced to child status by his addiction. If our dream comes true he can be able to earn money and help his family with some extra income. Through music, I've realise, that I have been able to assist many people change their lives.

DRUNKARDNESS CAN LOWER YOUR DIGNITY

Recently during the last months holyday Jane and her colleagues from suburb were out for a night.
As they were busting a move on the dance floor when one of her buddies felt a guy come up behind her and started grinding his front on her back.
like normal the dance went for while before she turned around to see the nature of the guy whether he was cute and the right man to have a dance with.
Alas!!what she saw was embarrassment to all of them. When she caught a glimpse of the dude, she was startled to see that it was her biological father who was in town on vacation. He was really drunkard he kept right on dancing and touching her body carelessly. To make the matter worse he started putting the moves on all the girls and tried to get each to dirty dances. Disgusted, she rounded up her posse and made her exit without bothering her safety out there .You can imagine the risk!! A girl leaving the club at 1:00 am walking her way home embarrassed and ashamed before her alleys.
Her father noticed nothing that day. He drunk and drunk messing around with women ;young and old, spending his money while his dear family needs money for education, medication, clothing and daily meal.
The next day Jane didn’t look her father in the eye once nor neither her friend because of the shame she went through. That’s some of the bad effect, embarrassment and risk people go after excessive drinking. There’s a huge risk here, the father might have sex with women he had in the bar without a condom protection or if he put the condom he might put it wrongly or use it wrongly. If this happened the wife is at risk. So you men out there if it’s a must you drink take it responsibly.

Hi.

Ma name is Vincent Omondi: Maximum.Creativity.To.Climax.Jive.Exhorbitant.Dream.Fighter.Hustler.(MCC JEX DFH)
I'm a member of Repacted Kenya.I'm a performing artiste and I'm good in music and composer.I speak about social issues and the gospels, I've recorded some of my works touching on peace and another about drug and substance abuse.My aim in life is to educate the youth on the truth about the facts of life.