Kenyan Literature Quotes

“The Whiteman told of another country beyond the sea where a powerful woman sat on a throne while men and women danced under the shadow of her authority and benevolence. She was ready to spread the shadow to cover the Agikuyu. They laughed at this eccentric man whose skin had been so scalded that the black outside had peeled off. The hot water must have gone into his head.

Nevertheless, his words about a woman on the throne echoed something in the heart, deep down in their history. It was many, many years ago. Then women ruled the land of the Agikuyu. Men had no property, they were only there to serve the whims and needs of the women. Those were hard years. So they waited for women to go to war, they plotted a revolt, taking an oath of secrecy to keep them bound each to each in the common pursuit of freedom. They would sleep with all the women at once, for didn't they know the heroines would return hungry for love and relaxation? Fate did the rest; women were pregnant; the takeover met with little resistance.”
― Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, A Grain of Wheat

“After you've created value, the next part of building wealth is being a good receiver. In the same way that a good phone must be able to receive wi-fi frequencies, a good person must be open to receive the frequencies of wealth. It is good to give, and it is also good to receive.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, The Wealth Reference Guide: An American Classic

“There are bishops, knights and queens. Once they fought for their people, going to prison and refusing to come out unless the white man went west. Everyone demonstrated while their leaders were in prison, demanding their unconditional release, their names written with wet paint across huge placards... 'Our dear savior, so and so,' they yelled. In torn and bloody clothes, their heroes waved to the crowds, as big trucks waited to whisk them off to maximum-security prisons. They were adored and worshiped. Heroes, my foot! Saviors? Bullshit!" Kangu was suddenlt trembling with rage. "Imagine calling somebody a hero without knowing his motives, just because a poor African boy went to University and read a few of Martin Luther King's speeches. Maybe he was just looking for fame, or eyeng the fat farms of the white man. Then the 'hero' suddenly finds himself wallowing in power, money and sex... All the things he's dreamed of, but never seen. He forgets what he was fighting for, and becomes meaner than the white man ever was; he becomes the devil.”
― Oduor Jagero, The Ghosts of 1894

“Similarly, despite the efforts by production houses, media, and fans to support local content, Kenyan music was not growing for many reasons including conmanship in the entertainment industry. We had Promoters (they still exist) who had decided to make money from the sweat and blood of artists. Then the Music Copyright Society of Kenya came and ruined everything despite having elected some artists to the management board hoping they would do something different. They ended up being the most prominent scam artists ever proposed in the history of Kenyan entertainment. (In the article "From Curiosity to Creation: The Birth of Kalpop")”
― DON SANTO

“Man, this one,' he thought, 'this one is very much fit for human consumption!'- David G. Maillu”
― David G Maillu, Unfit for human consumption

“While at the hospital, he felt so awful about his fallen life. It was so surprising how someone could change from grace to disgrace. He realized that just as a man was capable of growing physically and spiritually strong, he was capable of growing weak.”
― David G Maillu, Unfit for human consumption

“In terms of cooperation with other denominations, Classical Pentecostals in Kenya have had a wary and suspicious approach to ecumenism from their earliest decades. It was noted that they were willing to unite and cooperate with other denominations regarding service to one another and society but not in faith and doctrine. This stance was informed by their desire to safeguard their distinctive experience of baptism in the Spirit with its resultant manifestation of speaking in tongues. The suspicion lingers on, which is confirmed by the fact that neither PAG nor CITAM are members of NCCK.”
― Susan Murimi

“The major challenge facing Classical Pentecostals is what to do with the Charismatics in other mainline denominations who traditionally do not fall under the category of Pentecostals, yet they are embracing the experience of baptism in the Spirit and its myriad manifestations. If indeed spirit baptism breeds unity, are the Pentecostals willing to dialogue with other Christian expressions in Kenya that have allowed the ‘Pentecostal’ experience within their fold?”
― Susan Murimi

“The Freedom of Kenya wasn’t won by one tribe, yet some keep editing the script for profit. Until we unlearn that myth, compensation will always fund a falsehood.”
― Don Santo