Stories
BUMPY RIDE RANGE
February 22, 2020
By Muriki Meeme When I’m in a bumpy ride There’s no pride by my side Especially when you over-speed Open your eyes very wide Carelessness can be a suicide Well,…
MID-LEVEL MANAGEMENT
May 25, 2019
You are allowed to spend. Ok. Sparingly. Ok. Why aren’t you spending? Because you said.. That you SHOULD spend, sparingly. Ok. I mean, you MUST spend. Ok. Your budget must…
Emmy Faraja
April 28, 2018
By Patrick Ngugi She was a homeless orphan. Cold, hungry, beaten, bruised and defiled. And she was only nine years old. Her usual place of abode, inside the huge and…
ETERNAL WAIT
March 7, 2020
Parched lips Thirsty throat Depleted cup Waiting for ever for A delightful refill That fails to pour And lips that yearn For a touch of lips That vanished in…
THE END OF THE BARGAIN [Pt 1]
March 1, 2020
By Kemboi Victor It was two months since Tina left after we had had a little fight and I could not fathom ways of bringing her back. That night I…
A PRECIOUS THIEF!
August 5, 2018
How could you, You merciless thief, Leave me with nothing of my own, For all that I had, I showered it all on you. Why don’t you get contented?…
A BIRTHDAY WITH A DIFFERENCE
May 8, 2019
By Yunita Cole I still wonder how I had managed to drive all the way from Londiani to Kitale and back on that day, without causing any fatalities amid this…
A VOICE FROM THE GRAVE
February 3, 2019
By Cecy Gaitho “We are all gathered here to celebrate the life of a woman, whose contribution to the society is immeasurable…” The Master of Ceremony remarked, as he opened…
BEAUTIFUL CHARADES
September 30, 2019
By Beverly Masita Sitting in the corner and looking at people have a go at champagne and dance maybe wasn’t my kind of thing. Grabbing a glass and standing with…
The Priest, The Prostitute and The Urchin [Part Two]
September 2, 2018
By Patrick Ngugi Part two [If you missed Part One, get it HERE] We went for a long walk with Miriam as catechist accompanied Otish’s mother and the boys to…
ONE MORE DRINK…
March 17, 2020
By Lilian Wairimu As he sits, Shaping his lips to an imagined love heart, His head droops down Down; is it the heavy thoughts? Or the drink before him, Stretching…
ROZZINA’S HEARTBREAKING TALE [PART TWO]
February 3, 2019
By Jedidah Ohanga The two men stood there looking at each other. They had received a blow they didn’t expect and that somewhat excited them even more. They were used…
A GOD YOU WILL NEVER KNOW
July 11, 2019
Dogs howled in agony, Crickets sang dirges in ceremonial voices, Little Janie stood at the balcony, Amidst the pleading noises, Ready to call it quits, to life’s irony. She…
INVISIBLE ENEMY
March 25, 2020
By Faith Gikunda [Meru, Kenya] Huge, dark and ugly, it crashes in Invading our world mercilessly Without warning or slightest care Affecting generations all over His steps are firm and…
ANSWER FOR CANCER
February 24, 2020
By Muriki Meeme The illness claiming lives of many This is alarming state of emergency Answer for cancer is everyone’s worry In this twenty first century As I share this…
BITTER FRUIT
April 23, 2020
By Seeb Durazi Daniel Mwendwa sat pensively, in a secluded corner in the restaurant, peering anxiously from behind the lush, large leaves of the potted plant that partially concealed the…
HOME WRECKER
May 12, 2019
I saw how you used to stare at him, How you used to smile at him, Saw how you allured him to your bed, How you saw him secede his…
The Last Drop; a New Era
September 2, 2018
By Kemboi Victor Tony Alfayo walked about at the reception of Jamboni Maternity Wing petrified, distressed and looking very tired. For about a day and half now, he had been here…
INAMA IS REAL
July 19, 2019
By Mundia Ngumi It’s a lazy Sunday afternoon in the outskirts of the city. I’m slowly sipping my favourite drink, at my favourite joint, with my mind disengaged, wondering about…
The Cherub of Juhudi School
October 27, 2019
By Yunita Cole Bali woke up, unable to sleep anymore. He then relieved himself and took a shower. He placed his uniform on his bed, ready to get dressed up.…
TALKING TO LITTLE COUSIN ABOUT SEX
July 18, 2020
By Beverly Masita Hi, it’s me. Just like most people, dear ‘Rona found me at the confines of home. You know- where your mother threatens to behead you because you…
GHOSTS OF HITLER
July 2, 2020
By Haruna Birniwa, Jigawa State, Nigeria You called her virus, l call her a war Indeed a great war of invisible weapon War of no gun no sword. Neither atomic…
GOOD FOR EVIL [Part Two]
February 6, 2020
By Kemboi Victor By morning the following day I had acquired everything Madam Boswony had demanded of me. I walked to the Transfil Plaza, room 211, Worldwide Internet Company offices…
Agatha, The Serpent’s Daughter
October 1, 2018
By Patrick Ngugi She could not remember where the hell she came from. One thing was clear in her mind however. She had this strong urge to send as many…
Hangovers & Heartaches
December 1, 2018
Sunset… dusk Then our yearning eyes met And like infatuated teens We couldn’t leave each other’s sight We gazed through soul’s windows And beheld glittering galaxies Of shining stars,…
Kenyan journalist named Journalism Now Scholar winner
February 18, 2020
By Ewen MacAskill An innovative journalism competition organised by Thomson Foundation has been won by Kenya-based journalist, Thomas Mwiraria, who wrote a graphic piece about a poverty-related plague in sub-Saharan Africa.…
THE EMBATTLED MAN
October 15, 2019
By Mundia Ngumi We, men, were raised up being taught and believing that solely, we are the head, the leader, the patriarch, family breadwinners, and the sole providers. Now, things…
GONE TO PIECES
April 6, 2020
By Evelyne Ongogo Okoth The world has gone to pieces Little remnants of glory trickle down our feet As we desperately watch a world That was once full of bliss…
LET ME LOVE YOU
November 17, 2019
From the moment I laid my eyes on you, You have never left my mind, You made my mind and heart your home, You became my endless song, The rhythm…
TWA TWA TWA
January 3, 2020
Na Hussein Kassim Husni Kazini ndicho kigezo, kuongeza mishahara Mabosi wana uwezo, kufanya twa kila mara Wanatiliwa vikwazo, walio kwenye ajira Twa twa twa ndio mchezo, twa hakika inakera …
The damning, shaming secret of Wamakere Village
July 4, 2018
By Cecy Gaitho and Anita Nimmoh Sundays were showing off days and the Wamakere village church was the perfect place. Young women would come in droves, to show off their…
PAYBACK TIME
November 11, 2019
By Kemboi Victor The six elders sat under the giant Mogoiywet tree of Kaimen shopping center, as they flashed glances on curious villagers who were seated on the grass. This…
MY FACEBOOK CRUSH HAS A THIRD EYE – PART TWO
January 18, 2019
By Nimo Kuria Nathan seethed in anger all evening, how could a well-planned date go south so suddenly? Who did Lucky think she was? At the back of his mind,…
LOVE STUPOR
February 8, 2020
By Anita W. One look in your eyes and I get lost in your gaze, I see heaven in your eyes, I swim in the ocean of love there in,…
COLD BLOODED JUSTICE
December 20, 2019
By Patrick Ngugi I buried my face in my handcuffed palms, too ashamed to lookup and scan the courtroom, as I did not want my gaze to meet my family…
GUARDIAN ANGELS Part Two
April 1, 2019
I entered my cubicle hurriedly and realized Terry was lying on the floor motionless. It seemed like the situation had gone from bad to worse. I knelt next to her,…
DESIDERATUM
June 2, 2020
By Evelyne Ongogo I won’t keep words that harm Nor sneers that hurt I won’t carry a tool of despise Nor attend a school of spite I haven’t a space…
GLORIA AND PARSELELO BAG SH2.3m WRITING SCHOLARSHIPS
November 25, 2019
Kenya’s Gloria Mwaniga & Parselelo Kantai are among winners in the 2019 Morland Writing Scholarship. The other winners for 2019 are Hawa Jande Golakai and Nnamdi Oguike. The winners were…
A HOLE IN MY HEART
February 28, 2020
By Lewis Wamwanda When I was growing up At every dawn I woke up There was this woman at our gate I used to throw stones at her Papa…
CORRINE MY FRIEND [PART 5]
July 27, 2019
THE TRAP BY Jeddy Gibbs Ohanga We discussed the issue like two grown-ups and agreed on the way forward. His idea made sense and I agreed to it. Meanwhile I…
Honey coated revenge
January 5, 2019
By Cecy Gaitho I do not know why Sam Mateso crossed my mind that day. Probably, the thought was sparked by the call I had just received from my son…
UNLIKELY XMAS REUNION
December 1, 2018
By Patrick Ngugi H.N. Anderson’s heart soared joyfully as the Cessna took off from Wilson Airport. Soon, she would be breathing the crispy fresh mountain air of Nanyuki, her hometown.…
MY TWA TWA
March 9, 2020
BY Evelyne Ongogo Okoth I am seated at the patio I will sit till the sun comes down I will sit till the sweat on my back Flows down my…
AFTER THE STORM
April 26, 2020
By Kemboi Victor The neighborhood was unusually restrained that morning. Very few vehicles and motorbikes roared on the road and only a few people were seen walking quietly, most of…
GUARDIAN ANGELS -PART ONE
March 7, 2019
By Kemboi Victor I understood the nature of Terry’s sickness well and I was not ready to see her in that distressing state for the entire night. We had been…
ULTIMATE TRUTH
March 19, 2020
BY Hussein Kassim “Son, tell me you like her!” These are words that do not seem to fade from my dad’s mouth. Not anytime soon. He keeps insisting that the…
AND THEN CAME REGRETS..
August 17, 2019
That evening my mind was not calm. Unlike other days when thoughts of unfinished work would be bothering me, I was thinking about the death of Tracie my four years’…
DANCE ON HIS GRAVE
June 18, 2019
BY Anita Wairimu We laid him here three years ago. I come here fortnightly to make sure everything is in order. To ensure that the love of my life is…
CORRINE MY FRIEND, PART 3
July 19, 2019
Along Came Denzel… By Jade Gibbs Ohanga It was one of those random weekday nights when you just come from work and decide to go to a club and relax…
THE TRIP TO ISRAEL THAT ENDED AT THE EMBASSY
April 20, 2020
By Winfred Nyokabi What plans has Rona thwarted in your life? Well, for me, I had been saving for as long as I can remember for a trip to actually…
Interesting tidbits about Christmas
December 24, 2019
THE holiday season has arrived and millions of people across the globe will be celebrating Christmas with their families and friends. The following are some interesting tidbits to share with…
The Priest, The Prostitute and the Urchin [Part One]
August 5, 2018
By Patrick Ngugi He was a street urchin, alright, but still a human being, and every medical care possible should be given to him, I thought as I hurriedly pushed…
The Black Wine of Mama Pima
September 2, 2018
By Cecy Gaitho “Pewa kama mlivyo!” A clearly drunken voice shouted from the back of Mama Pima’s den. He spoke in a slurred manner, having spent the whole morning in…
THE LOVE BABY [PART 3]
March 24, 2019
BY NIMO KURIA It was on the third day of Triza’s return back home from her parents’ house that she had made up her mind to get straight with Erick.…
JO NAPOT, FROM HUNGARY…
August 19, 2019
The Diary of a Kenyan Village girl in Europe… Jo napot, greetings from the land of cayenne pepper! Yes, so far I know ten Hungarian words. So, let me continue…
Girlfriend for hire
December 1, 2018
By Kemboi Victor Bryson’s return to Kenya from the States after the completion of his Masters degree finally came with jubilation. He was really excited to be home again, to reunite…
INSIDE THE STRANGE BASKET
June 4, 2020
By Kemboi Victor Trevor Mukami exited the restaurant and stood facing a fleet of cars at the parking lot. He admired his new Mercedes Benz and smiled, longing to meet…
MIDNIGHT WHISPERS
August 27, 2019
Whisper to me the stories of midnight When the moon is lonely and all alone at night Murmur to me the folk tales of the night When the sounds of…
The Chasm 666
May 17, 2019
By Patrick Ngugi Then 666 years later, I woke up. Six centuries, six decades and six years. Yet, I still remembered what the Princess of Sheda had done to me…
Some of the best Kenyan books in 50 years
January 25, 2020
The most secure business venture in Kenya is running a bookshop. They are never broken into even during riots. Kenyans are said not to have a reading culture, but undaunted,…
VILLAGE GIRL BITTER AFTER MISSING HUNGARIAN CHANG’AA ON A DATE
July 10, 2020
By Winfred Nyokabi Now let me tell you a story of how I was taken out to a dinner date. This village girl has been yapping here how she is…
BELLA’S SURPRISE
February 3, 2019
By Kemboi Victor I have been sitting at Barizi Gardens for over an hour waiting for my friend Sam to arrive from the other side of Eldoret town, where he had…
THE WASTED BLAST
February 3, 2019
By Patrick Ngugi I am not sure what made me notice her. Was it her tall gawky appearance, or the totally black outfit she wore, the black jeans trouser and…
THE ESCAPADES OF KIVAVA KIKONZE
February 16, 2020
By John Masunga The petrol station attendant showed him a corner near the drainage and generously dosed him with the water cannon. It was not a fire extinguishing drill. It…
A DIFFERENT DAWN
March 23, 2020
BY SEEB DURAZI [U.K] The dim, smoky flame from the paraffin lamp flickered slightly in the salty night breeze wafting in through the open window. It was a warm night,…
KIKOTO’S MOUTH
February 26, 2020
By Evelyn Ongogo Okoth Kikoto has a mouth His mouth is just like any other mouth But his mouth is dangerous! It is venomous! The village calls him the Mouthy…
GUILTY OF LOVING YOU
March 25, 2019
I saw how she was looking at you, I saw the smiles she was giving you, I saw how tight she was hugging you, How content she looked around you.…
CORRINE MY FRIEND [PART 1]
July 13, 2019
By Jeddy Gibbs Ohanga How we met Many years back I had a girlfriend called Corrine. We were very close confidants and our friendship was beyond human comprehension. I loved…
EUROPE VIA THE EYES OF A VILLAGE GIRL
June 19, 2019
By Winfred Nyokabi I hail from a small village in the armpits of Laikipia that sits on the slopes of Mt. Kenya. This means I get to see many tourists…
Grave Matter
July 3, 2018
By Patrick Ngugi Hackson Mukora didn’t think it funny although a crooked grin spread across his face as if he was enjoying the macabre joke that was sending his…
This is the sad story of Malaki….
July 3, 2018
By Cecy Gaitho “When I grow up I want to be a pilot.” And every day, young Malaki would go out into the fields and excitedly wave at the passing…
YOUR CHANCE TO PUBLISH A CHILDREN’S BOOK
May 13, 2020
By Creative Writing Now Have you ever thought of becoming a children’s book author? Maybe that goal sounds hard to achieve. Publishers receive submissions from thousands of writers a year.…
THE JOURNEY FROM self TO SELF
April 4, 2020
By Patrick Ngugi [Kiambu, Kenya] Stillness surrounding And transcending all In loud sprawling silence Consciousness… That powerful stillness Cool and refreshing Like clear still water That really runs deep Experiencing……
FREEDOM IS COMING TOMORROW [PART TWO]
June 25, 2019
By Kemboi Victor Inside the cabin of the cruiser was nearly dark as it was covered, such that it was difficult for light to come in; and the policemen hung…
SECRETS FROM MY LOVE [Part Two]
December 13, 2019
Get Part One HERE BY Kemboi Victor “Some girls are funny sweetheart.” I continued. “Their eyes do not go beyond their noses. Their minds refuse to think when they see…
BEING A MOTHER, A WOMAN AND AN ACHIEVER
June 20, 2020
By Wangeshi Wambua Is motherhood a sacrifice or a privilege? Is it selfless or selfish? Many may say that I am writing from a place of privilege therefore project that…
Special Delivery Suicide
June 1, 2019
By Patrick Ngugi Wilmina Mudeshi had had enough. She could not continue with these tribulations anymore. It was time to leave, she thought as she gripped the small bottle sleeping…
BURIANI KEN WALIBORA
April 18, 2020
NA HUSSEIN M KASSIM Kama ni machozi, basi yanitoka kapakapa Kama ni jitimai, sonono haliniishi Mawazo na fikra? Ni mkururo baada ya mwingine. Tanzia ya kifo chake baba Kennedy…
The Highway Monitor
April 27, 2018
By Kemboi Victor Our matatu jerked to a halt at Ngoini market bus terminus few minutes past 6pm. The passengers alighted and took different directions. Since I was late, I…
Night of Redemption
January 5, 2019
By Kemboi Victor At first Kipruto thought it was the normal wails that at times hit his village at night when thieves invaded. But on listening keenly, he realized it was…
SEVEN DAYS OF LOVE
May 12, 2020
By Lewis Wamwanda and Ezekiel Immo Monday I met a lady Collided with me at the bus stop Her apologies was a love song in my mind Tuesday I roamed…
Farewell Angeline… Go with Joy
May 31, 2018
By PATRICK NGUGI I looked at my watch for the umpteenth time. The second hand was ticking at the same pace with my heart; its beat increasing with each…
VOLUNTEERS AND MEDIC WORKERS
March 15, 2020
By Mwaniki Muriuki We remember you, you who give yourselves of yourselves To fight these deadly and viral deaths: Ebola and Corona Viruses! You who have avowed your souls and…
Tell my wife to marry Samuel
December 1, 2018
By Anita Nimmo As I look into those big, brown and beautiful eyes, they look like they can see right through me. Cold tears roll down my face as I…
CLOSELY APART
January 7, 2020
By Kemboi Victor When our eyes met she frowned. Her hands then started to shake like those of an alcoholic. If I am not wrong, she was also feeling some…
THE GIRL DOWNSTAIRS
May 3, 2019
By Kemboi Victor The rain that had kept me in bed for hours stopped and alternated with the warm rays of the chrome shaped yellow sun that beamed proudly from…
LAMENTATIONS OF A SINKING SON
May 29, 2020
By Patrick Ngugi You behold the horizon Scared of the sinking sun That darkens your soul N wish you could stop its flight Through the vast skies of time Dumping…
DAUGHTER OF MY MOTHER
December 4, 2019
By Mwaniki Wa Muriuki Son of my fathers, where are you Why am I longing for you with no avail? Must you be always sought in vain Daughter of…
STREET LIFE
January 9, 2020
By Muriki Meeme Life stuck on a edge Young at tender age Stranded on wrong path Hatred he couldn’t understand Notwithstanding his stressed mind When dad declined the truth…
THE POEM IN MY LIP
July 24, 2020
By Evelyn Ongogo The poem in my lip won’t fade with age Her melody ‘s like an arrow that dares the sun’s eyeball Waters of blue hue runs in the…
I STILL WILL WRITE
July 17, 2019
I wrote on the first page of my life, A poem about the grumpy midwife, In whose hands I had come to birth, And momma had to endure her wrath.…
UNQUENCHED FLAMES
July 31, 2019
By Rehema Malemba I close my eyes and I see my lips on his…I feel my chest pressing hard against his. His warmth and sweet scent encircling us both. His…
$4,000 Flash Fiction Writing Contest: Quantum Shorts
February 4, 2020
The Quantum Shorts Flash Fiction Competition is now open to entries from writers around the world. The contest is completely free to enter, and offers cash prizes up to $1500,…
CORRINE MY FRIEND [PART 4]
July 23, 2019
BETRAYAL By Jeddy Gibbs Ohanga Dinner was a mess, Corrine had set me up. Her man had come with a business associate. This guy was all over me like blue…
You Came You Saw You Conquered
October 1, 2018
Return my heart If you won’t love me Give it back to me And let me live again Instead having to cry For you each and every time Once…
Nicah, the Boss Lady
May 2, 2018
By Cecy Gaitho I watched helplessly as the heavy rain pounded on the back of my four children and I. This was the third time in a week that we…
The Fatal Secret
May 31, 2018
By Jane Gerald He watched, his hands on the frosted glass wall and his head lowered, as the etch of his sin grew larger on the wet floor. The red…
DEPRESSION’S DOUBLE TROUBLE
January 23, 2020
By Mundia Ngumi “Kuja hapa, mkora hii”, [Come here you vagabond] a hoarse voice shouted from behind me. I could sense urgency and danger. My sixth sense alerted me to…
I’M BACK DARLING, I’M BACK
August 28, 2019
Light showers and slight breezes Sent me shivering and drifting Away from you Seeking sunshine and warmth In foreign waters and lands The grass was green and luscious On…
THE LONG WAIT
November 19, 2019
By Patrick Ngugi His clothes, though clean were so crumpled, you’d think he had slept in them. But then, he was perhaps, the cleanest beggar I have ever seen. He…
24 Parenting Websites that Pay Writers
February 10, 2020
Writers! Are you a parent, do you know parents, or do you have parents? Then maybe, just maybe, you’ll be interested in getting paid to write about parenting. The following is a…
MABEL WACU, MY LOVE
May 21, 2020
By Patrick Ngugi Mabel was late. Very late. It was getting to 10.30 pm and this worried me tremendously because the stretch from the matatu stage to the house was…
AN ODE OF MY MAN
October 24, 2019
By Mwaniki Muriuki My man he is my supreme cistern A well whose water is my everlasting drink He is my forever fountain A spring from whom all my thirsts…
KABLA SIJAOA
September 20, 2019
Kabla sijaoa, nitataka kuwa na hakika kuwa anafaa kweli. Nitataka kudadisi hulka zake kwa upana. Nimpitue, halafu nimweke sawa. Nimkunje, kisha nimkunjue. Nimvae, kisha nimvue. Nimwangushe, kisha nimwinue. Nimtege, halafu…
LONG BEFORE ACADEMY…
December 12, 2019
By Mundia Ngumi It’s 5.00am on a Friday morning of July 1984. I wake up naturally without an alarm, and prepare myself for school. It’s drizzling, chilly and misty. I…
LONDON STREET
June 16, 2020
By Ridwan Bello, Kaduna, Nigeria Dark, old, and short So slim, lean, with thought Of all the way fate set Forth, with all the pain that Gushed out, above the…
THE LOVE BABY [PART ONE]
February 3, 2019
By NIMO KURIA Triza Mpwe, a widow, milled behind the casket bearers with her head bowed low. Beside her on the left and the right were her twin sons. Though…
If Tomorrow Fails to Come
December 3, 2018
Dear God, If Thou decides to take thy soul tonight, So that I won’t see tomorrow, My son, whom am so fond, Oh God of all Might, Let him not…
THE HIGH HILL BREEZE
July 14, 2020
By Ridwan Bello, Kaduna, Nigeria How massive and tall are you dear That the heavenly sky laid its body here And the mother earth envies your richness For all…
SHARP BARGAIN
March 10, 2019
By Patrick Ngugi The tiny mosquito on the ceiling kept on growing fatter and fatter, its tiny tummy emitting a red glow, showing how full it was with the blood…
Wine row and Abdulla’s Mazingaombwe
August 5, 2018
By Anthony Muiruri I never cease to amaze my friend Robert. We sometimes teasingly call him uncle Bob owing to his iron-fisted management of his household. To ensure everything runs…
MY FACEBOOK CRUSH HAS A THIRD EYE [PART 1]
January 5, 2019
By Nimo Kuria Nate spent more time on Facebook than it was evident on his profile. He was the anonymous guy with a tree for a profile photo and a…
POLITICAL DANCE
July 16, 2020
By Muriki Meeme Political parties merge for a change Togetherness dance prevailing Good to see the big ship sailing Coalitions for a common goal Giving back to the people Getting…
WHATEVER IT TAKES
May 15, 2020
By Rehema Malemba Robert is again on his lonely way home from Ubunifu Primary School. The sun is at its setting end, colouring the western horizon orange. Long shadows of…
SECRETS FROM MY LOVE
December 8, 2019
By Kemboi Victor I first saw her from the waiting room being cleared by the secretary at the reception. She looked thin, tired, emaciated, stressed, unkempt and desperate. She was…
THE RETURN
July 8, 2020
By Kemboi Victor When Benjamin Mugeni woke up, he was perturbed. For so many hours he had been sleeping and he could not reckon where he was. He thought he…
ITARI MUTING’OE IGIRAGIO NGI NI NGAI
June 30, 2020
[God wipes flies of that without a tail] By Mundia Ngumi Gitonga grew up in a relatively wealthy family. When racing komerera [racing] bikes seemed like the Porshe 5.0, those…
ROZZINA’S HEARTBREAKING TALE [PART 3]
February 18, 2019
ByJedidah Ohanga To the hotel manager, Rozzina’s dad arrival was like a terrorist attack. He wore ordinary clothes so that nobody recognized who he was. First he went to his…
ZENTA’S TATTOO [Part 3]
August 12, 2019
By Patrick Ngugi He opened his eyes, and this time the lights scorched his eyes. He let out a sharp scream and shut them tightly. He tried to lift his…
DO NOT CRY
June 15, 2019
Do not cry my darling For I waited for too long Do not cry Because you thought too long Was not really so long But my heart remained open Do…
MAGGIE LISPER WAMAITSA
March 13, 2020
By Patrick Ngugi I finally met Maggie Lisper Wamaitsa after a decade of romantic letter exchanges, during which I even proposed and she accepted, and I promised I’d give her…
SPECIAL DELIVERY SUICIDE – PART TWO
June 12, 2019
If you missd Part One, find it here The whole afternoon Wilmina kept on wondering what Dorcas really wanted of her. At 5 she rang Dismas to tell him that…
A PLANET IN DREADFUL PAIN
April 14, 2020
The wicked winds waft westwards Granting a deluge of ill droplets Infected with myriad tiny monsters Which stop a planet in its tracks Graduating the learned into fools Baffling miracle…
SO FAR YET SO CLOSE
June 26, 2020
By Anita W. At times I wonder, How do things happen? Why do they happen anyway? It all leaves me bewildered, And can make one go insane. Life is…
FROM MOTHERLAND
October 12, 2019
From motherland where sirens are war planes and tankers trains The ambulances, battle bullets and blasting bombs And medics, the vulgar murderous militias or the selfless slaying soldiers All in…
Precious Sweet Memories
August 5, 2018
By Anita Wairimu As I stand here today, where you took me on our first date, so young, naive and shy and also so in love. You couldn’t look me…
Different Shades of Red
April 27, 2018
By Anita Wairimu I stood before a mirror; I could hardly recognize the woman who was staring back at me. She was withdrawn, drained, and her eyes were hollow. She…
MUNANDA DAY
August 25, 2019
Saturday was reserved for going to munanda. Munanda is a cattle dip. All cows from within and outside the location, trode all the way to the munanda from all the…
A WEIGHTY MATTER INDEED
June 10, 2020
By Julius Mundia Mrs Mbugu drives a black Harrier 3.0. She dresses in Turkey skirt suits always matching with lingerie, shoes and other accessories. She always does her shopping in…
THERE WILL BE A STORM TONIGHT
October 11, 2019
BY NIMO KURIA Cliff has been thinking of moving out, moving out of his father’s compound. But those aren’t exactly his thoughts… They are from his wife to be. It’s…
With You I Have Everything
April 5, 2019
I exist because Of your grace and mercy On this lowly creature Bearing the image of you My body – this temple With amazing network Of blood, bones and…
THE BODY REMEMBERS
October 29, 2019
They say the body remembers, Way after the mind forgot. That’s why it trembles, shivers And understands it not. When the body remembers, It remembers the love, The feeling…
THE END OF THE BARGAIN [Pt 2]
March 4, 2020
By Kemboi Victor I should tell my father to help me bring Tina back, I thought later and relaxed. My father had just retired from the army and he had…
WHY FATHER… WHY!!? [PART TWO]
July 16, 2019
By Rehema Malemba I haven’t talked of my grandmother’s previous life, or have I? We were living with her in the city and she was enjoying herself and I’m sure…
AND YOU THINK I’LL WAIT?
August 2, 2019
I must speak my mind Even if with closed eyes To avoid her mesmerizing eyes Which weaken my shaky knees When she looks and smiles at me Yes! Today I…
ULEMAVU WA MOYO
July 1, 2019
Na Hussein Kassim “Usimfanyie masihara kwa huo upofu wake! Haipendezi…” maneno yalimtoka Latifa Baridi ambaye alielekea kuchoshwa na kuchushwa na kasumba ya Ali Baya. Rafiki yake wa dhati. Yapata ni…
COVID19 – A REFLECTION OF A KENYAN STUDENT ABROAD
May 17, 2020
By Wangeshi Wambua, in Hungary “Whatever you want to do, to be great at it, you have to love it and be able to make sacrifices for it” Maya Angelou.…
GLOBAL WARMING
July 12, 2020
By Margueritte Pitjeng What is the definition of love I ask? Imprudent and dunked in a pool of acid is what you replied Selling yourself to the depths of happiness…
GERRY’S PROPHESY
January 18, 2019
By Patrick Ngugi My new phone rang several times but for some reason I could not get myself to pick it. Every time I stretched my hand it seemed to…
LIFE IS SO UNFAIR
February 20, 2020
By Muriki Meeme So far so sad I’m feeling bad Life is so unfair I’m still aware I have money problem And nowhere to call my home Lost in the middle…
LEND ME YOU
January 20, 2020
By Patrick Ngugi Is it you? Or my eyes? Bewitching me? Or Anxiety in my heart Spinning my dazed head Every time I see you In the eyes of mind…
BITTER SWEET VICISSITUDE
May 19, 2020
By Baya Osborn Change or vicissitude Awfully reassuring in its tidy reliance Something imminently bad must transpire Is it the enacting pain of Xenophobia? Is it Nairobi and Lusaka? Or…
THE LAST RAIN DANCE
February 2, 2020
By Mwaniki wa Muriuki Dance with me, in the rains Our sweats swept in its dousing heats Dance with me, when the heavens torrents downpours Our slippery grips sliding and…
MOURN HIM WELL
February 19, 2019
Akoko nyar nam, Mourn your husband well Mourn him, daughter of the Lake Mourn Oduka as if the world is ending tomorrow He was the spear that pierced the sleeping…
DOWN THE AISLE, OUT OF LIFE
April 12, 2020
By Kemboi Victor As I watched her walk down the aisle of the decorated church holding flowers against her tummy I admired her like the first time I saw her.…
WE SHALL OVERCOME
April 24, 2020
By Faith Gikunda All will be over and pain in the cosmos will fade The wailing and crying will no longer be heard The world will find its remarkable balance…
Like tracks of a railway line
September 2, 2018
On a rainy chilly Thursday evening Limping from yet another interview Broke as an orphaned church mouse I was drenched to the skin for I couldn’t afford even kid umbrella…
BECAUSE I’M HUMAN
June 8, 2020
By Muriki Meeme Because I’m human I have got mind of my own I know the pain of oppression I know the pain of rejection How it feels when betrayed…
KENYA KUONGOZA KWA SAMPULI ZA SARATANI
July 25, 2019
Ifikapo mwaka 2030, Kenya itakuwa imepiga hatua nyingi za maendeleo. Miongoni mwazo ni miundo mbinu ya kisasa kama vile reli za umeme, majumba ya kifahari na barabara kuu zenye hadhi.…
A Carpenter’s Easter Song…
April 20, 2019
[Crucified on my cross] Two crosses and a half Lay in the carpentry – wasted Waiting for the next victim On Pilate’s death row Business was that bad Not…
FULLMOON BOULEVARD MOTEL
March 31, 2019
By Patrick Ngugi The dark grey clouds that had hung precariously over the sky most of the afternoon finally made way for a clear and somehow chilly twilight that was…
BEFORE YOU GO
September 2, 2018
Before you go, Please look behind once more, And remember all the good times we had, But when you leave, don’t bang the door, Lest you need it, when you…
A FRESH BOUQUET OF FLOWERS
November 15, 2019
By Lilian Wairimu As William took a stroll along the beautifully paved street, taking in the scenery around him, the clear blue sky, the random singing from a bird, he…
The Skeleton in the Closet
November 1, 2018
By Cecy Gaitho “The Forbes list of top 40 under 40 is out, and for the first time in history, a Kenyan is on the lead!” I cannot tell if…
THE PIRATES OF TERROR
December 16, 2019
By Muriki Meeme-The Poet The pirates of terror You fight the new error Kill by sword die by sword For evil and not for good You will get the same…
BLACK SKIN IN MY SONG
December 22, 2019
By Evelyn Okoth Ongogo Hate her or love her Love her or hate her But she remains my centre of passion She is the pot Where my life’s concoction brews…
MESSAGE FROM HELL
January 29, 2020
By Mundia Ngumi “Ambia mtu wako awache kuharibu manyumba za watu kama hujampatia mapenzi ya kutosha mwambie awachane na mpenzi wangu atafute aliye single” On finding this SMS in his…
ROZZINA’S HEARTBREAKING TALE [PART 1]
January 18, 2019
By Jedidah Gibbs Ohanga Rozzina loved her company more than anything else. She was an introvert and an only child who didn’t know how to relate with others. Her father was an…
Seriously Guilty
October 1, 2018
By Kemboi Victor I came to know Juliet in my first month at Huduma Bora Microfinance Bank in Nairobi, where I had gotten job as a teller. She was a Clinician…
The Pain in Her Voice – Part One
July 3, 2018
By Kemboi Victor I peeped out through the glass paned window of my house and my eyes flashed on the gloomy weather outside. The rain hadn’t stopped yet and the…
ZOE’S REVENGE Part Two
April 4, 2019
By Jediddah Ohanga An hour later, she saw him off to the gate and promised to meet him on Monday at his showroom to complete the paper work. She would…
A WAKE UP CALL FROM MAMA ONYANGO
June 26, 2019
By Mundia Ngumi It was getting to dusk. This day, I was not in a hurry as usual. I had sworn to start taking things easy, maybe because of age…
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
June 12, 2020
By Albina Hipp Why are many people around the world risking their all? In this corona pandemic, to stand in solidarity to state that Black Lives Matter? To stand in…
A Letter To Death
November 1, 2018
Hail King Death, Am sorry for all the times I wished you’d stop my breath, For all the days I wished you’d come faster, When I prayed for you to…
TOMORROW NEVER COMES
February 14, 2020
By Lewis Wamwanda I wonder why people call tomorrow, tomorrow Yet I see no sense in their choice of words Not that I don’t trust them But I still wonder…
THE PROMISE: “PROTECT MY DAUGHTER” [Part Two]
December 1, 2018
If you missed Part One, get it here By Nimo Kuria Nadia’s sleep had left her with the arrest of her best friend Delyn. The episode had been short-lived but…
YULE MJAMAA – THAT GUY…
October 22, 2019
BY LILIAN WAIRIMU There she was staring out of the matatu window. Her mind racing and trying to process so much. Why is there so much traffic jam, that woman…
The Pain In Her Voice [Part Two]
August 5, 2018
Get Part One HERE By Kemboi Victor Everyone seemed to have made a great discovery about me. Reverend Nyakundi could not believe that I could lay my hands on my…
ONE-OFF SIN
January 1, 2020
By Beverly Masita You could say I was deep in thought as I sipped my coffee on New Year’s Eve. I was here early, drowning in coffee and music, reading…
What happened to… Walikwenda wapi?
August 7, 2019
The witty Back in high school, there used to be very witty characters. Those who used to smoke cigarettes and bhang. They used to “monolise” Form 1s, and were the…
WHAT I SEE
March 21, 2020
By Ridwan Bello, Kaduna [Nigeria] Lying alone under that sick Silent tree, awaiting his eve rose To who shall pass by him without Saying hello for old time’s sake.…
I LEAVE YOU TO KARMA
June 30, 2019
I gave you my heart wholly, I didn’t think twice while giving it to you, I trusted you with it, Thought you deserved it. I gave up my all,…
THE CURSE OF RWARE VILLAGE
October 7, 2019
By Cecy Gaitho The land of Gikuyu and Mumbi is blessed with an abundance of food. Mwene Nyaga is said to have met His people at the great Mt. Kenya…
A SUDDEN STRANGER
October 1, 2018
Yesterday, when we went to sleep, You were so quiet, so distant, You felt like a stranger lying next to me, You were like someone else, dressed up in you,…
THIS I SAY
July 6, 2020
By Benson Kasuti But do I say I am also seeing a smile But does it pay? Or its just happiness for a while I admit I was wrong…
MY NEW OLD FRIEND
October 10, 2019
It all began with the fears of the unknown, While being overconfident in my future. Here I was ready to tackle the world and grab it by its old horns.…
KEN WALIBORA: LIFE AND TIMES OF RENOWNED AUTHOR
April 16, 2020
The news about the death of the renowned Kiswahili author Ken Walibora shocked many followers of his work His body was traced at the Kenyatta National Hospital mortuary on Wednesday…