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DEC-JAN 2011 FREE.99
BEST
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2011
A F R I C A’ S P R E M I E R O N L I N E M AG A Z I N E F O R P O S I T I V E E N T E R TA I N M E N T
For updates on positive entertainment, events, stories, discussions, music, video, and photos in Kenya and beyond.
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“Some people got hopes and dreams, some people got ways and means…” - Bob Marley ‘Survival’
Photography Sharp Shooter a.k.a Mwangi Kirubi Video • Editing Mediarchitect a.k.a Joshua Werema Articles Quicksilver a.k.a Wamuyu Kiragu SPECIAL THANKS Our Father Wagema Munyori Ciku Mugwe Beverly Lwenya Seth Muriithi Buddha Blaze Steve Kitoto Shadrack Mwamburi David Mutua Paul Munene
BEFORE 2011, I would always shake my head and suck my teeth when I heard those lyrics: how can the world be such a cold place, life be so hard and unfair and people so cruel right? But not this year. 2011 has taught me and my colleagues here at the KWELI Nerve Center that the “ways and means” that fuel our “hopes and dreams” can be gotten sans sucking of les teeth and shaking of la tête.
Our retrospective of this unforgettable year is dedicated to all you musicians, creatives, developers and all you amazing people, from all sectors of our society who weren’t too scared of critics, less than ideal conditions and limited resources, to put yourselves out there and go for broke. Before I exhaust all my clichés, I’ll let you get to it. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, we’re your biggest fans!
God Bless RL
All our friends and family
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got WHAT WE’VE
16 B E I NSPI R E D
B E I N F O R M ED
B E EN T ER TAINED
16 ARE WE THERE YET?
27 A LOOK AT TECH IN 2011
8 7 things you didn’t
32 WHAT IS AN
10 KWELI’s LEMON FACE
Guest Feature
In search for the Kenyan sound
38 KWELI GRAPHIX
Our favorite digital art of 2011
43 TOP 11 of 2011
Our favorite photos of 2011
Feature The technological highs and lows of technology in 2011
AFROPOLITAN
know about eric wainaina Eric lets his hair down with KWELI
MOMENTS OF 2011 The gigs we LOVED
Feature Meet KWELI’s fashion oracle
20 SHOULDA WOULDA
4 KWELI | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11
COULDA The stuff we MISSED
8
32 10
43
@KWELIMedia | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11 5
7
Things you didn’t know about
ERIC Wainaina WATCH
KWELI’s EXCLUSIVE one-on-one with Eric Wainaina
KWELI | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11 8SNAPPED BY SHARP SHOOTER | MWANGI KIRUBI
1
If you weren’t a musician but had to pick a trade what would it be?
2
Any hidden talents or skills we don’t know about?
3
If you were hungry and only had 200 bob what would you buy and where?
4
Any favorite vibandas (backstreet joints) for local dishes?
5
Do you have any phobias?
6
Any pet peeves?
7
If we gave you a jet to take you to any three places in the world where would you go?
DOWNLOAD
SNAPPED & EFFECTS BY DESIGN JOCKEY
the video of ERIC WAINAINA answering our questions!
@KWELIMedia | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11 9
KWELI’s
Aaron ‘Krucial Keys’ Rimbui shows the audience how to do the ‘lemon face’ during the All That Jazz IV concert. 10 KWELI | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11
RING LEADER | OKWI OKOH WROTE IT SHARP SHOOTER | MWANGI KIRUBI, WAGEMA MUNYORI & CIKU MUGWE SNAPPED ‘EM
of 2011 THERE ARE TIMES when it just feels good to be alive. Sometimes the feeling lasts for only for a few seconds, but it’s still an undeniable rush. MUSIC, GOOD MUSIC, has provided the majority of those moments for me since I was climbing mango trees. I find it hard to reproduce or describe that “so-delicious-it-hurts” sensation I get when lyrics, notes and voices combine and make me remember, hope, regret, understand, love and hate… things… sometimes all at the same time.
I usually don’t have anything to say at moments like that - I’m just left making a face like I’ve just sucked on a lemon that has been injected with an extra dose of ascorbic acid. But now that I’m meant to be a writer of sorts, I guess I better try and describe when and why I’ve experienced ‘lemon face’ this year while on KWELI duty... > @KWELIMedia | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11 11
...their harmonies are SO GOOD I’ve seen toes curl at THEIR CONCERTS…
TOP: “Blinky Bill” Selanga of Just a Band ABOVE, L to R: “Blinky Bill” Selanga and Daniel Muli of Just a Band with Sarah Mitaru, Neema Ntalel, Kevin Mbugua, Patricia Kihoro, Atemi Oyungu
WATCH
Just a Band performing ‘Away’ live with Sarah Mitaru
12 KWELI | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11
READ
more about Just a Band in KWELI Magazine
WATCH
Neema Ntalel performing ‘Victorious’
Everyone knows Sarah Mitaru has an amazing voice and that Just A Band can perform complex musical acrobatics with their samplers. But who was prepared for the haunting beauty of ‘Away’ during the launch of Kudishnyao! at the Goethe Institute? Not many people there saw it coming given the amount of chatter and laughter that was going on when the song started… but then it got real quiet, real quick. I remember being part of the Reuters Africa Journal crew that interviewed Neema’s father immediately after her Kora Award win. Her dad’s excitement was infectious and I’ve followed her work on-and-off since then. You
WATCH
Kevin Mbugua & Patricia Kihoro performing ‘Waithera’ live at All That Jazz IV
don’t have to be Quincy Jones to feel Neema’s growth as an artist. The image of Neema stretched back, limbo-style, almost as if unable to control the power and passion of the notes coming out of her body as she sang the final notes of ‘Victorious’ will stay with me for a very long time. Kevin Mbugua is a jack-of-all-trades and seems to be quickly becoming a master of them all as well. I’d hate to be his career advisor after hearing him and Patricia Kihoro tug at our heartstrings with their rendition of ‘Waithera’ while backed by Aaron Rimbui and The Funk Unit at All That Jazz IV. Would I tell him to ditch the acting and writing to focus on
his music? Or would I tell him to embrace it all Jamie Fox style? We follow Atemi quite closely but had never heard ‘Nairobi’ until she sprung it on us during her set at her concert with British soul legend Omar. Step aside Alicia Keys and Jay-Z, New York is very far away. Me, I, love and live in Atemi’s Nairobi. KWELI has made a ton of noise about Ma3 and it’s not just because they’re nice people. One of the things that makes great music is when artists can turn their melodies into snapshots of our lives. Ma3’s performance of ‘Boda’ during the launch of their >
WATCH
Atemi performing ‘Nairobi’ live!
@KWELIMedia | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11 13
Not many people there SAW IT COMING given the amount of chatter and laughter that was going on when the SONG STARTED… LEFT: Ma3’s Nanjira Sambuli BELOW: Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Sauti Sol’s Bien-Aime Baraza
WATCH
Ma3 performing ‘Boda’ live at the Beba Beba launch!
album Beba Beba was one of those occasions, images of the many spur of the moment road trips I was lucky enough to take before life became so serious came back to me in a rush… I am UNASHAMED to say I didn’t know much about Lecrae and the other members of hip hop group 116 Clique. The Nairobi leg of their African tour was an eye-opener. Trip Lee’s performance of ‘Hero’ is still bouncing around my skull. 14 KWELI | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11
One of the things we picked up on this year was the clear evidence that many Kenyan musicians have officially come into their own. There were a couple of gigs this year where it seems the horse was put before the cart: An unprecedented 12,000 people turned up to watch Sauti Sol run away with top billing at Safaricom Kenyan Classical Fusion. I mean their harmonies are so good I’ve seen toes curl at their concerts but who would have thought they would one day share a stage with the likes of Ladysmith Black Mambazo?
And a few fans told us they were left wondering if Vivian Green should have opened for Neema instead? How about those who said they had already worn out their dancing shoes during Atemi’s curtain raiser before Omar came on? Not to say there was any kind of rivalry going on, because there wasn’t. It was about fans and music lovers getting more sound for their check and that’s a good thing...it’s been a great year to be alive and it’s been a great year for music. ☐
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Members of 112 Clique: KB, Andy Mineo, Tedashii, Trip Lee, Lecrae
WATCH
116 Clique performing live at the Unashamed Concert in Nairobi
@KWELIMedia | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11 15
ARE WE THERE YET? The search for a “Kenyan Sound”
16 KWELI | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11
BUDDHA BLAZE WROTE IT
EVERY MAJOR CITY in the world has
THE WRITER
a soundtrack or at least needs one – that’s what sets it apart from the rest. NEW YORK is known for its boom bap hip hop beat, London is known for its drum and bass, Kingston Jamaica is known for its reggae. In Africa, whenever you are in Johannesburg kwaito creates perfect background for its hustle and bustle. In Accra hip life invites you to Ghana like the warm akwaaba embraces while in Lagos the afrobeat sound will let you know exactly where you are. Tanzania has bongo flava and Uganda has ugaflow. I’ve been in the vibrant Kenyan urban music scene since its early days a decade ago, I’ve seen artists come and artists go; some exciting some not. But the one thing that has remained constant is that Kenyan musicians have been unable to create their own distinct sound
It’s quite absurd because Kenya’s capital city NAIROBI is one of the most CULTURALLY EXPLOSIVE cities in AFRICA, with creative inhabitants from all WALKS of life.
that describes their unique environment thus giving them that distinct and profound identity.
The First Urban Wave It’s quite absurd because Kenya’s capital city Nairobi is one of the most culturally explosive cities in Africa, with creative inhabitants from all walks of life. How then does it have a non-existent signature sound? With such human diversity you’d think that the platform is perfect for artistic innovation especially when it comes to musical expression. The neo-urban artists have tried their best though, so we won’t even fault them for not trying. In the early days of the urban music revolution there was a lot of hip hop experimenting with artists such as Hardstone and Swahili Nation who blended hip hop lyrics with local languages. As much as they were a hit, they never made a lasting impact. Then came a wave of Swahili hip hop and R’n’B led by Kalamashaka, Gidi Gidi Maji Maji, Darling P, Mr.Googz and Vinny Banton, Necessary Noize, Redsan, K-South, Mercy Myra and more, but still there was no distinct sound. >
Buddha Blaze is an entertainment journalist, activist artist manager. As a journalist he was Editor of East Africa’s first entertainment magazine PHAT! He has contributed for Pulse Magazine, Tribe Magazine, Adam, Baobab Connection, AfricaHip-Hop. Com, Kenyan Hip-Hop.Com, Africa Unsigned, Nairobi Up Magazine and many more. He has interviewed a long list of artists local and international - Lucky Dube, Brenda Fassie, Alpha Blondy, Shaggy just to name a few. His work laid a foundation for African entertainment reporting. As an arts activist, artist manager and event manager he has delivered many successful events such as WAPI all over Africa. Emcee Africa under Spark Africa. His many years in the music business have placed him in the position of a vital authority on all things musical. He is currently co lecturer of contemporary African History the African hip hop section of Trinity College, Connecticut USA.
Catch up with Buddha Blaze on his online links: itsBuddhaBlaze SparkAfrica buddhablazeworld
@KWELIMedia | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11 17
Boomba Right after that sound failed there was a ray of hope when a new crop of producers called Ogopa DJs dropped on the scene with a new sound called boomba. This was by far Kenya’s longest lasting urban sound. Artists who have made major hits using this sound include the ever so popular
The Great Generational Disconnect
All these sounds are popular in Nairobi but none fully describes the soul of Nairobi. Back in the 80s there was a great generational disconnect. Look at hip hop in New York – there’s a direct connection between today’s sound and the soul music of the 70s. In Nigeria - afrobeat King Fela Kuti paved way for For our INDUSTRY many stars in Nigeria today including 2Face or DBanj’. SOARED, and then SUDDENLY The link between the old and PIRACY hit it. the new innovators is the key to continuity. In the early days of Kenyan music, original sounds E-Sir (RIP), Nameless, Big Pin, were so popular across the continent; Amani, Longombas, Deux Vultures, bands came from as far away as Wahu, Kleptomaniax, Mr. Lenny Congo and Cote D’Ivoire and Harare and Tattuu just to name a few. These to learn how to play like Kenyans. The by far have been the most successful Kenyan music industry was highly urban artists in Kenyan music history. respected and looked upon. Mama Its domination came to an end due Africa Miriam Makeba sang the song to many copy cats dissolving the Malaika composed by Kenyan Fadhili earlier sound creating a bubble-gum Williams. The Congolese sound of sound called kapuka. A harder inner soukous was borrowed from Kenya’s city sound called genge by Clemo, vibrant benga. For 10 years our Nonini, Juacali and Mejja emerged industry soared, and then suddenly but even that failed to fully capture piracy hit it. and please the whole city’s ears.
10 years
Various Kenyan artistes’ album covers
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Brand New Innovators Piracy killed the Kenyan music in the 70s, the people lost interest, and quality was compromised. Add a dictatorial government in the 80s which meant that expression wasn’t entertained. Urban Kenyans began to express themselves again in the late 90s after a 15-year lull; the older musicians had either ceased to exist or faded into oblivion. It was like starting all over again – no historical reference. The good news is there is new wave of exciting innovators on the Kenyan music scene in 2011 - Muthoni DQ, Sauti Sol, Just a Band, Ma3 and Camp Mulla. They are new, very keen, highly creative, eager to learn and have witnessed a decade of Kenyan sounds that have failed to capture the masses. Will they finally deliver the Kenyan sound? Will they finally deliver us from our long awaited anxiety? Will they finally connect the dots between old and new? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. ☐
Authentic Kenyan Apparel The Bonk Store 1st Floor, The Junction Mall Ngong Road, Nairobi www.bonk.co.ke @KWELIMedia | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11 19
SHOULDA WOULDA
COULDA
QUICKSILVER | WAMUYU KIRAGU WROTE IT SHARP SHOOTER | MWANGI KIRUBI & WAGEMA MUNYORI SNAPPED ‘EM
THERE ARE SO MANY hyper-talented artists around us, they put together so many amazing gigs this year... but there was so little time! Here’s a list of some of the more scrumptious acts that we should have, would have but for - one reason or another - couldn’t feature this year... > @KWELIMedia | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11 21
Dempsey
soothing and SMOOTH g skills this guy d
With a
MUSIC that will you LONGING fo SPECIAL SOME
Adawnage
...his
singing and song writing
talents are quite
SOMETHING to BEHOLD
Number 8 - real name - Dan Mwangi, brings a unique approach to gospel through spoken word. His ingenuity with words is evident in pieces like ‘Flush It’ and ‘Same Script’. His debut album Rebuilding, was released in September this year and is available at that-music-shop-whose-namehas-slipped-my-mind at Nakumatt Lifestyle, 1st Floor for only Kshs. 500. We recommend you grab a copy to experience great spoken word poetry. You can also check out http:// dannnumber8.wordpress.com/.
22 KWELI | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11
Contemporary gospel group Adawnage was set up in March 2008 and set about capturing the ears and hearts of listeners around the country with songs like ‘Uwezo’. Their first record, Safari, was released in December 2010. The 17-member band - whose rehearsals must be an organizational miracle - easily transitions through various genres on their 10-track album which earned them Groove, Mwafaka and Kisima Awards nominations this year. While Dempsey reminds me of
John Legend and John Mayer, he’s definitely got his own style. He’s still a student at Penya Africa’s Sauti Academy, but his singing and song writing talents are quite something to behold. I caught his performance during the launch of the Beba Beba album launch by Ma3 and I’m convinced that this guy is a star-inthe-making. Check out Dempsey performing ‘Caroline’. Winyo... captivating. That is the word I would use to describe Winyo’s music. I had no idea who he was
g voice guitar
I think IT’S TIME this artiste gets the
recognition
delivers
have or your
he DESERVES right here at home.
EONE. Dela
Winyo
until his name popped up during our planning of this “shoulda-wouldacouldas” section. A few YouTube searches later and I was watching him perform ‘Nyachula’. I was blown away. This singer/songwriter whose musical style ranges from afro-jazz and afrofusion to contemporary Benga is not new to the music industry. He has written songs for various local artistes like Tusker Project Fame winner Valerie Kimani and was behind the success of Rateng, a musical trio that went on to win third place at the
Uzbekistan Cultural Music Festival in 2006. Winyo is very popular in Europe - France in particular. I think it’s time this artiste gets the recognition he deserves right here at home. Stan Nganga or just Stan to his fans was first introduced to Kenya when he released the single ‘Gachungwa’, a smitten, puppy-love ballad. Stan went on to release his debut album, Kenya Debut in January 2010. His album is a feel good record, perfect for couples in their “honeymoon phase” as it captures the imagination and
Stan
all good things that come with newfound love. With a soothing voice and smooth guitar skills this guy delivers music that will have you longing for your special someone. Eddy Grey is a “jazz fusion” artiste fuses and mixes both traditional and western sounds to create a unique sound. The self-taught musician is also a composer and arranger and is set to release his sophomore album, titled Stories By the Lake next year and in it he seeks to show how “Kenyan traditional music is relative >
@KWELIMedia | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11 23
Fena_menal
Her ALBUM will defi the ones to WAT
Maia Von Lekow
to traditional jazz arrangement”. A conscious musician, Eddie mirrors societal issues in his work evidenced by his critically acclaimed debut album No Trains in Kibera which was his musical response to the 2007 -2008 postelection violence that gripped Kenya. This skillful bass guitar player was definitely one to watch. Dela mixes African rhythms, neo-soul, reggae and hip hop to create one of Nairobi’s more interesting acts. She cut her teeth
24 KWELI | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11
backing Dan ‘Chizi’ Aceda, Wahu at the MTV MAMA’S and Achieng Abura among others. In August and September of 2009, she was part of the New East African European tour organized by record label Penya Africa where she’s currently signed. She released Paukwa - her first solo effort - in November 2009 and the simply beautiful compilation is available for download on the Penya Africa website. Fena Gitu popularly known as Fena_menal is a rising star in
neo-soul circles. Her debut single ‘Down’ (available on SoundCloud) is a marriage of witty lyrics and a catchy beat. Fena keeps busy on the live performance circuit with performances at events like The Nairobi Kinanda Festival and curtainraising for Vivian Green during her concert in Nairobi. Maia Von Lekow: Maia is pretty well known in live performance circles and we hate that we haven’t cornered her yet. Gracing stages across East Africa, Europe and
Nina Ogot
finitely
be one of TCH OUT for next year
Muthoni DQ
She gave up a
CAREER IN MEDIA and TOOK UP her true PASSION music.
Australia and performing at various festivals including the Rift Valley Festival, Blankets and Wine among others. She’s been working on her debut album Drift for four years now and according to her website (www.maiavonlekow.com) her fans will finally be able to get their hands on it next year. Known to many as one of the brains behind the super successful Blankets & Wine Event, Muthoni Ndonga a.k.a The Drummer Queen a.k.a Muthoni DQ has come
into her own this year as evidenced by her success with Africa Unsigned, where after being the first artiste to reach her US dollar 5000 funding target, she went on to record a collection of popular tracks such as ‘Welcome to the Disco’ which satirises the experiences of many Nairobi women who think they’ve found love after a night out. Check out her music on http://www.muthonimusic.com/ and http://www.africaunsigned.com. Nina Ogot is a singer, songwriter and guitarist. She gave up a career in
media and took up her true passion music. She’s used her experiences as a student in France and her exposure to World Music to create her own district sound. She reached out to her fans this year via a concept known as “Nina Ogot 4 x 4” where four minute videos of Ogot working on her second album were aired at 4 ‘o’clock, giving fans the opportunity to say which songs they like or which artistes they would like her to collaborate with. Her album will definitely be one of the ones to watch out for next year. ☐
@KWELIMedia | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11 25
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26 KWELI | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11
a
LOOKat 2011 A PLEASANT SMILE played on Mr. Muriithi’s face as memories of what was now seemingly a past life in an old world flooded his mind. He marveled at the vista of rolling hills, zero point energy grids and beautiful smart farms. > @KWELIMedia | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11 27
THE DRIVE TO the Nairobi Central Business District used to be the stuff of nightmares especially during the so called rush hour. The voice prompt gently interrupted his wandering mind, reminding him that he was now approaching the manual parking lane, the heavily digitized voice prompts rang through the 12.1 digital surround sound system of his Computerized Automotive Machine (CAM); a generation ago they called them cars. There were numerous prompts to choose most of them were indistinguishable from human voices but Muriithi liked to have some old fashioned tech around him. “Please place both hands firmly on
the steering wheel Mr. Muriithi”, he’d just uploaded KIT’s voice, memories of Knight Rider. The proximity sensors came alive, like a synchronized data orchestra rapidly displaying relevant information on the lower panel on his wind screen – the weather report, his calender, his favorite audio RSS feeds and a video call from his daughter’s mobile communicative device. The newly installed road grid allowed manual driving inside urban districts in parking zones only, a grouping of technologies boosting RFID sensors, satellite systems, software and hardware innovations had
changed the very concept of driving; relegating humans to jolly passengers. Manual drive cars were confined to theme parks and special roads in the rural districts. One would imagine this future to be the stuff of science fiction straight out of Isaac Asimov’s wild imaginings, but it is a future we are perhaps a decade away from in Kenya. Technology is on Beenie Man and Future Fambo’s Rum and Red Bull high. Great strides, innovations, improvements and inventions are a daily occurrence and we can look back at 2011 as a year of many milestones, highlights and well some pretty big goofs and low lights.
look back at 2011 as a year of many milestones, HIGHLIGHTS and well some pretty BIG GOOFS and low lights
...we can
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THE WRITER
2011 Technology Milestones It took IBM six years, 90 IBM Power 750 servers, 15 trillion bytes of random-access memory and 2,880 processors networked among three states to fine tune the artificial intelligence marvel called Watson. I practically went on a post apocalyptic terminator SKYNET man versus machine panic attack, when Watson whooped two of the greatest humans to ever win “Jeopardy” in a live, televised fiveday romp taped at IBM’s Watson Research Labs in Yorktown Heights, N.Y. in February 2011. However I was comforted to learn that Watson will be lending his or her marvelous albeit artificial brain to medicine. This super computer will be working for the American National Institute of Health from 2012. Apple like the Saints kept marching on and on to being the world’s most valuable company. It is amazing that even companies based on basic human needs like transport, education, food, security and shelter couldn’t keep up with a technology based outfit, testament to the fact we are indeed in the information age where the need to know and tell
is crucial for survival. This innovative company was on a roll in 2011 gifting the world with the iPhone 4S, iPad2, iPod Touch, improvements to iTunes, the MacBook, MacBook Air and iCloud - as well as the Siri voice assistant that uses artificial intelligence to comprehend and interact with the user, and an array of user-friendly and design features that are a triumph of innovation and a Steve Jobs legacy. 2011 has been dubbed the year of the laptop and PC swan song. Research now shows that a youthful demographic would rather buy a smart phone or tablet PC as opposed to traditional laptops or PCs. The computer market shifted markedly to tablets and ultra lights. 2011 may be the last year when desktop and laptop PCs outsold tablets, as Apple’s enormous success spurred rivals into the sector; Hewlett-Packard lost billions on the TouchPad, eventually bowing out rather ungracefully. RIM continues to drop prices on its Blackberry Playbook missing out on the sweet spot achieved by Samsung with their Galaxy series; perhaps the only comparable contender to the >
One day a 12-year-old boy called Seth Muriithi found his siblings enjoying a Christmas present in the form of a 16bit gaming console called the Sega Mega Drive. The fact that gaming technology actually translated to directly interacting with someone else’s imagination, struck him as the highest form of communication… second only to telepathy. Gaming coupled with a steady diet of his father’s Sci-Fi and fantasy literature birthed a conviction to sojourn into the digital landscape. Seth is now the Founder and Senior Developer of Alcove Media Ltd; a three-year-old software development and creative multimedia startup based in Nairobi, Kenya. His skill set encompasses multimedia authoring and programming. Seth Muriithi says he believes in the basic tenets of communication - keep it simple, and with technology - always seek to make life easier. Alcove Media continues to trail blaze the Kenyan digital landscape with innovations in rich mobile applications, creative multimedia authoring and business communication solutions like live video streaming, video conferencing and digital signage solutions.
AlcoveKenya AlcoveKenya www.alcovekenya.com
@KWELIMedia | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11 29
tablet PC crown currently donned by Apple. Meanwhile, more nimble rivals like Acer, Sony and Lenovo debut new tablets. Huawei might have suffered a false start with their heavily marketed, well priced but unfortunately ARM6 powered Ideos phone, but boy did they make an admirable recovery with their S6 Android powered smart phone and the impressive S7 tablet. These devices hold a lot of promise for Africa owing to their balance between processing power and affordability. Perhaps the most exciting development for a developer of rich mobile applications like me was the introduction of contracts on smart phones and tablet PCs by Orange.
Fatal Errors Some tech giants may be in a ‘death spiral.’ Research in Motion, whose 75 million global customers used to be the crème-de-la-crème of e-mail users, may be shrinking quickly. 2011
its share price. Yahoo, still valued around $19 billion, ousted CEO Carol Bartz and hired Goldman Sachs and Allen & Co. for “strategic advice.” Word has it the
SAD to see everyone’s FIRST inbox in the business outbox. I guess all good things MUST COME to an end. saw a series of fatal missteps. RIM gave us a tablet PC (the Blackberry Playbook) that lacked e-mail, a three-day service outage that wasn’t adequately acknowledged and repeated delays of a new OS until 2012. RIM lost close to 80 percent off
strategic advice includes selling the company, sale of a minority stake to friendly investors or a breakup. It’s the third major crisis in the company’s 17year history. Sad to see everyone’s first inbox in the business outbox. I guess all good things must come to an end.
Sad Goodbyes The world lost some of its greatest innovators in 2011. In fact lots of the people we lost have contributed so much to modern day lifestyles that were technology a religion they would definitely be considered saints.
Apple’s Steve Jobs – there is no homage befitting of this great man. Steve Jobs revolutionalized multimedia consumption and computing via iTunes, iPhone, MacBook and iPod Touch.
John McCarthy the inventor of the LISP programming language without which neither Watson nor Siri might have been devised.
Dennis Ritchie, the inventor of the C programming language at Bell Labs, the progenitor of Unix and open-source software.
Charlie Walton, inventor of radio-frequency identification (RFID) which handles zebra codes and permits drivers to open their car locks remotely.
2012 and Beyond All who claim to know what the future holds are liars or immune to the Mututho laws. The most we can do is speculate based on current and past trends. I hope to see better infrastructure in 2012, faster Internet speeds and lower costs. These will make high speed Internet available to more and more Kenyans, thus spurring demand for data in all its forms; video, voice, applications, textual and graphical. Demand for data and applications should translate to opportunities for content and application developers, as well as allowing traditional media to diversify and evolve accordingly. As a software developer, 2012 holds a lot of promise. One cannot talk about the ICT landscape in Kenya without
Robert F. Galvin, the founder of Motorola, the company which gave us mobile phones.
addressing the mobile platform. The introduction of affordable smart phones should allow companies to develop mobile friendly interfaces to access traditional information like magazines, video content, newspapers and internal systems. The rise of popularity of tablet PCs will also leverage mobile devices as the choice tool for instant information access. Already we can throw pun at certain tech as so 2011. Apparently maintaining your own infrastructure is such tech - for a fraction of the cost one can have cloud services addressing a plethora of mission critical applications like customer care, marketing, communication and collaboration. However the
Norio Ohga, cofounder of Sony where he invented the compact disc.
Ken Olsen, the minicomputer inventor who founded Digital Equipment.
cloud will always be plagued by the risk of security. Remember the $70 million stolen from Sony’s online coffers? I believe many organizations and individuals will initially use the cloud as a backup alternative to local storage, but as this service cuts it’s teeth so will confidence in it grow; software as a service, who would have guessed? In truth folks perhaps the only credible prediction one can make about 2012 is that we are going to behold even more mind boggling, jaw dropping innovations and inventions. May your 2012 be full of slim tablet PCs, smarter phones, more YouTube content, lots of lovely tweets and happy Facebook status updates. ☐
Julius Blank one of the co-founders of Fairchild Semiconductor, the progenitor of all of Silicon Valley’s chipmakers.
WHAT IS AN
AFRO BEVERLY LWENYA WROTE IT SHARP SHOOTER SNAPPED ‘EM
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What better way for KWELI to start covering Africa’s vibrant fashion scene than by joining forces with someone who also likes to dig a little bit deeper and take a different perspective? Before our new fashion guru begins giving you the latest and best in trends, accessories and the people behind the products, we thought it only appropriate that she introduce herself...
OPOLITAN In 2005 LIP Magazine
published a groundbreaking piece by writer Taiye Selasi, chronicling the rise of the Afropolitan and bringing to light just who this person is. MY MOTHER read it and immediately emailed me the article informing me that I would relate to it. Little did she know that this would spark a hobby that would set flame to a passion. I realized that I was an Afropolitan; an African born or raised in the Diaspora. But I also realized that the definition was too narrow. I felt as though I could identify people who were not ethnically African but still black, and who fit
this mashup of the words “African” and “Cosmopolitan”. I wondered if an Afropolitan could be the many African Americans I met in college and graduate school who had traveled around the world, some to Africa, and who knew African history and current events better than me and many Africans. Or I thought of West Indian and Latin American friends who identified with the experience of being black >
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RING LEADER SNAPPED IT
in a metropolitan city. Or did it have to be a cosmopolitan city? Can an Afro-Columbian (they do exist!) who doesn’t live in the big city, but has a Twitter and Facebook account and feels like a World Citizen still be an Afropolitan? What about an African who visits China? That’s got to change your worldview. But how many visits count? Just one? What about Africans who have never left the continent, and hardly speak with an accent and seem well traveled? Is an Afropolitan just someone who is well-traveled? Then I thought about all the black people I knew who have traveled abroad but upon returning home, kissed the ground and said a prayer of thanks. At some point I had all these thoughts, or at least, thoughts similar 34 KWELI | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11
Then I thought about all the BLACK PEOPLE I knew who have traveled abroad but upon returning home, KISSED THE GROUND and said a PRAYER of THANKS to these. I realized that the definition should be a tent with room for all these ideas. But what was the underlying theme?
Exposure to globalization Globalization is a force that has been gaining steam in the last half century, with various benchmarks such as the decline of deadly infectious diseases, and the advent of the Internet which brought about interconnectedness that planes,
trains and automobiles could not. It’s almost like the Matrix. We are now all plugging in to “the grid”. Then again, as Orwelian as that sounds, it might not be a bad thing for people to be more connected.
So what is an Afropolitan? I submit to you that an Afropolitan is not only a jetsetting, G-8 dwelling, sushi and ugali eating African but a black person on this planet that respects the fact that they inhabit >
THE WRITER The Afropolitan Shop is an online boutique by Beverly Lwenya, a Kenyan-American with a desire to tell an African Design Story. It began as a blog in 2007 called The Afropolitan Network, which highlighted stories and images of what black people from all the continents were doing in the Diaspora. The hobby grew into a passion and now a fulltime pursuit. Beverly aims to celebrate African designers and artisans for their prolific and imaginative handiwork while giving them access to the global market. The Afropolitan Shop merges African products and creativity with the Afropolitan experience of Africans all over the globe. Afropolitan is a fusion of the words “African” and “Cosmopolitan”. It is a sensibility, a culture and a worldview. Shop Afropolitan and look Afro-Chic!
afropolitanshop theafropolitanshop
www.theafropolitanshop.com
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I SAW a void in how AFRICAN FASHION was being PRESENTED abroad, but also how DESIGNERS and TAILORS are hindered from SELLING to the global market.
a World, not just a city and are hungry to see it and change it. They are world citizens in the truest sense of the word, since Black people outside of Africa are part of a Diaspora that unlike other Diasporas like the Jewish, Irish or Indian Diapsoras, is one of the oldest due to the trans-atlantic slave trade. There is a “double consciousness” as W.E.B. DuBois once wrote, that many black people note, a feeling of being in two worlds. Perhaps the Afropolitan is our modern day version?
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My desire in this column is to chronicle my experience as an Afropolitan, and that of many others. The hobby I formed when I read the Selasi’s article was blogging. I started a blog four years ago called The Afropolitan Network. I found out that there was so much information, news, events, and culture surrounding this one topic. I kept blogging and realized one of the most undocumented subcultures, and one that was exploding was African fashion. In the last two years major fashion houses such as Louis
Vuitton, L.A.M.B (Gwen Stefani), and pop stars like Beyonce have donned African inspired and African made fashion. I saw a void in how African fashion was being presented abroad, but also how designers and tailors are hindered from selling to the global market. I decided to start a site called The Afropolitan Shop and give designers a platform to showoff their products as well as tell individual stories. You can expect interviews, multimedia links and an inside look at how this industry thrives. Stay tuned! ☐
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FAVORITE FACEBOOK PROFILES:
KID ON THE BLOCK > NEW On July 9th 2011, South Sudan
became the world’s youngest nation and Africa’s 54th state! Check out KWELI’s coverage here.
KWELI
KENYATTA vs. FRANKLIN
Many of us watched with horror as the Kenya Shilling plunged to record-breaking depths this year. I asked our fans to caption this graphic as part of a competition, check out the winning line!
>
20 OF
> THE HUMMINGBIRD FLIES AWAY Prof. Wangari Maathai will remain an international symbol of self-sacrifice, the urgency of our environmental issues and courage. Have you planted a tree yet?
EAT, DRINK & SLEEP RUGBY!
Here’s a collection of some of DESIGN JOCKEY | Vikki
>
This one was dedicated to the Kenyan 7s Rugby team for their ability to inspire patriotism and steal a bit of the spotlight away from our runners!
>
THINGS HAVE CHANGED
I’ve never talked so much about the weather. Drought, flooding, an extended winter... the climate has already changed!
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AFRICA RISING
It’s OUR time to shine!
FAVOURITE MAG COVERS SO FAR:
Graphix
011
OUR LAST MOHICAN
>
‘Bloodshed’ rock group member, Ciru Gichaga and her Mohawk graced the cover of our last print issue. We scored an acting gig with ‘Bloodshed’ soon after, check out the music video for their song ‘Traffic’.
B E
I N S P I R E D
WK 2 APRIL 2011
B E
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B E
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$0.00
KEY MAN > THE If you’ve seen jazz maestro
f the designs that were closest to i Keingati’s heart this year...
Aaron ‘Krucial Keys’ Rimbui perform, then you know that he and his keyboard are one...
NIGHT AT THE
MUSEUM WITH AARON ‘KRUCIAL KEYS’ RIMBUI
A F R I C A’ S P R E M I E R O N L I N E M AG A Z I N E F O R P O S I T I V E E N T E R TA I N M E N T
PASSION
CHOOSE KENYA
It’s getting to that time again, as you vote, remember to choose ‘Kenya’ above all else...
>
Deitrick Haddon exploded onto the stage in a blaze of colour, and songs for our souls... I wanted this cover to do the same!
>
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You’ve probably heard the saying that “a photograph is worth a thousand words?”
KWELI’s Sharp Shooter | Mwangi Kirubi has proved that statement true time and time again. We asked him to share the snaps that moved him the most this year and send out some invitations to a few kindred spirits...
www.click.co.ke PHOTO GR A PHY FO R PU B LI C AT I O N S • W E DDI N G S • F E AT U R E S • CO R P O R AT E EVENTS snap@click.co.ke • +254 722 701852 • +254 722 100123 • +254 722 952221 42 KWELI | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11
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MWANGI KIRUBI
SHARP SHOOTER | MWANGI KIRUBI WROTE IT
Photography became the in-thing
SNAPPED BY RING LEADER & EFFECTS BY DESIGN JOCKEY
this year. Forget the latest iPhone or sleekest Blackberry, cameras became the ultimate accessory for many urbanites at events like Kinanda and Blankets. Not just any point and shoot digital camera, but a good D-SLR. CHECK INTO a crowd with one slung on your shoulder and it was like you were saying to the cybershot and coolpix users, ‘Step aside kids, daddy’s arrived!’ - forget the fact that you can’t use it in any mode but auto! Why has it been a big year for photography? I’ll say Facebook. You can’t brag about your exploits over the weekend using blurry photos, and let’s face it, colorful words aren’t your forte. Next solution - a D-SLR. The prosumer camera also became the must-have as disposable income needed to be spent on something more than an extra smartphone. This is the year that also saw the birth of a secret clique of photographers called oneTOUCH. This is a group of 20 odd believers using their photography talent to God’s glory. Brothers and sisters who keep each other accountable in the quality of work they produce and professionalism in their work. We got a few to share their top images from 2011. Here’s a collection of what I believe are the best shots KWELI had for this year. >
For more of Mwangi Kirubi: @Mwarv mwarv.click.co.ke mwarv@click.co.ke www.click.co.ke
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NAIROBI BY NIGHT One guy I’m glad I met this year is Mutua Matheka. He inspired this shot. He is a photographer whose character I respect as much as his work. Check out his work at www.mutuamatheka.com
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A-FFAIR COLOURS When shooting concerts, a lot of the photography elements are beyond your control - artist movements, lighting‌ You just position yourself somewhere and look for your shot. Many are the times when the Heavens and the guy on lights smile upon you. Then you click.
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KANJII AT GROOVE KRUCIAL KEYS Taken at the Beba Beba launch, at a venue that didn’t lend itself to great photography. The way the colorful lights illuminated Aaron’s fingers made this one of our picks..
I didn’t think much of this one until Kanjii told me it’s the best of him I’ve ever taken. Honestly compliment a photographer - it encourages them to take their work a notch higher.
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SOL FILOSOFIA ALBUM LAUNCH The Alliance Francaise stage played host to very many events this year. As a photographer, it pays to look for a different angle to the story. This one was taken from the third floor balcony.
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WAMBUGU AT SAFARICOM FUSION Confession - I didn’t think much of this shot until I saw the comments on Facebook. Your comments and compliments makes this the favorite fan pic of 2011.
JULIANI AND DADDY OWEN This one makes the cut because of the emotion in it. Two of Africa’s top acts in an embrace that speaks volumes - where they came from, where they are now and where they’re headed to and God being with them, every step of the way.
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HUGH MASEKELA This is a man who commands respect. He’s been there, done that and takes no nonsense from photographers just ask anyone who had the privilege of being at his concert. Hats off to you Hugh.
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KATO FOR NOEL Another rule broken to get on stage and get the shot.
FANCY FINGERS I believe the stage is for the musicians alone, not the photographer. But sometimes, I get out of my comfort zone, break the rules and jump off stage.
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DSTV CUP I first had this shot in mind before I took it. It’s something that I’ve come to learn. Instead of shooting aimlessly, I nowadays have a picture in mind before going for the event then when there, try recreate it.
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SOFAPAKA VS ULINZI STARS When photographing sports, you need to position yourself in one part of the pitch, usually behind the goal line, and with your telephoto lens, wait and pray for the action to come to you. Shots like these are rare and when you get them, you thank God Almighty and go home smiling.
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KANJII, BENGA AND KIAMA We hear one of the gents in this picture got flack from his significant other. Another fan favorite.
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STEVE KITOTO
FROM MY CHILDHOOD days there has been always something fascinating about the camera, I would always find myself being drawn to watching someone take photos. I have always been the one behind the lens rather than in-front of the lens. My father had an old film camera, with a standard zoom lens and a telephoto zoom lens of 70mm – 200mm. Beautiful piece of machinery and i guess one can say thats where my interest came from. Times would go by and I would see several photographers doing their thing and i would be there admiring their equipment saying ”… one day that will be me” It was a joyous feeling the day I went to buy ma Canon DSLR and now she is my best friend and goes with me everywhere I go.
- STEVE KITOTO
For more of Steve Kitots: @SteveKitots www.500px.com/stevekitots SteveKitots stevekitots.wordpress.com s.kitoto@gmail.com | @KWELIMedia
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HERE COMES THE TRAIN A visit to the Railways Station, after dodging and jumping over railway tracks with on coming trains this is what came out :)
BROKEN Taken at Aboretum Park, an abandoned bench in the middle of the park.
HANGING IN THERE On a documentary project in Mukuru slums, one of the many schools in the slum this kid was prepping for break as his fellow classmates lined up he choose to pose for this snapshot
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ALL THAT GLITTERS On a shoot for a prominent Jazz artist, i got a session with her Trumpet and and with abit of rim lighting the aim was to get the trumpet to glow in the darkness.
D O CUME NTA RIE S • P UBLIC ATION S • BR AN DING letsmeet@underthebaobab.net • +254 719 803 203 • +254 722 702 124 • +254 722 251 673
Wo u l d you li ke to
park here? CONTACT US NOW: watscrackin@kwelimag.com • +254 719 803 203 • +254 722 702 124 • +254 722 251 673
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SHADRACK MWAMBURI
I AM A FREELANCE hobbyist photographer with a passion for artistry and spontaneous beauty. What started as a fleeting moment of expressed beauty in pictures about 14 months ago now is a main stay. I have no particular style of photography other than it being heavily inspirational. Mostly drawn to moments that capture pure, natural and raw emotion and/or edge of the seat stuff. Concert, sports and tour & travel photography are my main interests. My preferred tool of trade is a Nikon! - SHADRACK A. MWAMBURI
For more of Shadrack Mwamburi: @shaydest shaydest www.shaydest.wordpress.com samwamburi@gmail.com
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SPLASH AND GO1 Porsche 911, Car No. 18 driven by Aslam Khan/Arshad Khan make a splash of things in a muddy section of the Athi River leg, East African Classic Safar Rally, 2011.
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APOLLO 13 Imran Mogul/Mutuma Marimba launch off to the moon in their Subaru N10 at the KCB Safari Rally 2011, Jamhuri Grounds.
SPLASH AND GO2 Bjorn Waldegard/Mathias Waldegard have their fair share of muddy affairs in their Porsche 911 at the Athi River leg of the East African Classic Safari Rally 2011.
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SPLASH AND GO3 Like Moses splitting the red sea, East African Safari Rally 2011 winner Bjorn Waldegard/Mathias Waldegard parts waters in his stunning Dull black Porsche 911
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MANASSEH, GROOVE AWARDS 2011 DADDY OWEN, GROOVE AWARDS 2011 Multi-Groove Awards Gospel sensation Daddy Owen signs off with his trademark salute for his hit single ‘Saluti’, Groove Awards, 2011.
Sudanese gospel rapper Manasseh charms the crowd with a number after picking up an award, Groove Awards, 2011.
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NYINGEZ JOKER My good friend Kanyingi (Nyingez) giving his best impression of the ‘Joker’ in a random studio shoot.
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DAVID MUTUA
I AM A HUMANITARIAN photojournalist with a passion for action sports photography and a love for concert photography, with a bias to low light photography. Inspired as a child by the works of Mohamed Amin, my life was to change dramatically when I worked as the web designer for Mo’s archive images before rising to head the Photography department. Hungry for the adventure of field work, I docked off and currently navigating the waters as a Freelancer. Fuelled by the desire to capture the elusive ‘best image’, catch me at a rugby field, dusty plateau or rocky hill near you. - DAVID MUTUA
For more of David Mutua: david_mutua davidmutua dipwiz@gmail.com
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DAN CHIZI ACEDA, THE GENTLEMAN’S A-FFAIR Dan Chizi Aceda performing during The Gentleman’s A-ffair held at Alliance Francaise on 21st April 2011.
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ABBI, THE GENTLEMAN’S A-FFAIR Abbi performing during The Gentleman’s A-ffair held at Alliance Francaise on 21st April 2011.
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VIVIAN GREEN Soulful artiste Vivian Green performing at The Lounge Unplugged on 15th October 2010 at the Kefit Centre in Nairobi.
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CHRIS ADWAR, THE GENTLEMAN’S A-FFAIR Chris Adwar Performing at The Gentleman’s A-ffair held at Alliance Francaise on 21st April 2011.
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JACOB ASIYO, THE GENTLEMAN’S A-FFAIR Silhouette of Jacob Asiyo performing at the Gentleman’s A-ffair held at Alliance Francaise on 21st April 2011.
FENA Artiste Fena breaks into a jig during her performance at The Lounge Unplugged on 15th October 2010 at the Kefit Centre in Nairobi. @KWELIMedia | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11 83
NEEMA NTALEL Artiste Neema Ntalel does a little dance during her performance at The Lounge Unplugged on 15th October 2010 at the Kefit Centre in Nairobi.
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ROB’S MAGIC QUATTRO CHARGE Car number 19 driven by Lenny Gow topples over during Rob’s Magic Quattro Charge held on 27th March 2011 at the Lukenya Hills in Athi River.
ROB’S MAGIC QUATTRO CHARGE Driver Josef Jobst and navigator Hans Greifenstein maneuver their Porsche 911 through a water logged area of competitive stage 20 of the 2011 East African Safari Classic in Stoney Athi on 27th November 2011. @KWELIMedia | ISSUE 12 | DEC 11 85
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CONFEDERATION OF AFRICAN RUGBY CUP
CONFEDERATION OF AFRICAN RUGBY CUP
Tunisia Winger, Chelli Heithem, is tackled mid-air during the Confederation of African Rugby cup final held at the RFUEA grounds on Saturday 12th November 2011.
Tunisian Tighthead Prop, Hedi Souid, breaks through Kenyan defence during the Confederation of African Rugby cup final held at the RFUEA grounds on Saturday 12th November 2011.
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VOTING AT LOLOGO NORTH A young lady casts her vote at Lologo North A referendum center on 10th January 2011.
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DROUGHT A dry river bed in Turkana. A severe drought hit East Africa from around July to October.
VOTING AT LOLOGO NORTH A young mother holds her daughter as she waits to vote at Lologo North A referendum center on 10th January 2011.
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