Wapi, Oct 24 2009 @ Sarakasi Dome

MC: LABALAA. Performances by Judge, Wenyeji, Cannibal, DJ Steele, Eko Dyda, Lon Jon, K-Mash and DJ Tim Dawg, (Special Appearance by Kimathi of Jamhuri Wear)and much more.
From 9am to 3pm at Sarakasi Dome in Ngara Road

Italian Language Week Worldwide, Oct 21-27 2009 @ Italian Institute of Culture

Wednesday 21st October from 9.30 – 11.45am Italian Language Lesson
Free Italian language lesson From 9.30 -10.30 OR from 10.45 – 11.45 – booking is essential – Tel: 4451266 / 4451267).
At the Italian Institute of Culture (5th floor)

Wednesday 21st October at 5pm Italian Festa
“Festa Italiana” Screening of the film “Ho visto le stelle” by Vincenzo Salemme followed by an Italian buffet dinner – for Italian language students.
At the Italian Institute of Culture – Michelangelo Hall

Thursday 22nd October at 6.30 for 7pm Between Music and Cinema
Guitar concert by Italian musician and film director Ferdinando Vicentini Orgnani with excerpts from his films & documentaries to illustrate the relationship between music and image. In the framework of the Kenya International Film Festival (KIFF):
“Music has become my ‘secret love’. I didn’t make a career of it, but I still play the guitar…”
“In my films and documentaries special attention is always given to the sound track…”
“My role and my satisfaction are to choose the composers and become a dynamic element in their creativity as their music will become a dynamic element in mine.”
At the Italian Institute of Culture – Michelangelo Hall

Friday 23rd October at 6.30 for 7pm Queen of Flowers and Pearls – a story of an Ethio-Italian writer
Performance and reading with author Gabriella Ghermandi with the participation of Poetry Salama.
With Gabriella Ghermandi the Institute commences a series of meetings with Italian writers of African origin to present the cultural diversity that the Italian language can offer and to create an exchange of experiences with Kenyan writers.
Gabriella Ghermandi will hold a seminar at the University of Nairobi on 22nd October.
At the Italian Institute of Culture – Michelangelo Hall

Saturday 24th October from 9.30 – 12.30pm and from 2.30 – 5.30pm. Seminar for Italian language teachers at the Italian Institute of Culture

Monday 26th October at 8pm Italian Oscar winning films
Inauguration of the complete series of Italian films awarded Oscars for ‘Best Foreign Language Film’
In the framework of the Kenya International Film Festival (KIFF). Please click here for the programme
At Nu Metro – Westgate

21st – 27th October from 11am to 4pm (excluding Saturday and Sunday) Futurism
Exhibition of reproduction of works by artist Mino Delle Site (1914 – 1996)
Viewing of his complete works on TV.
In commemoration of the centenary of the publication of Filippo Tommaso Marinetti’s “Manifesto Futurista”, fundamental moment in the birth of contemporary art. At the Italian Institute of Culture (5th floor)

21st – 27th October from 11am to 4pm (excluding Saturday and Sunday) Guglielmo Marconi
Exhibition of panels on Guglielmo Marconi, inventor of the radio. On the centenary of the awarding of his Nobel Prize for Physics (1909). At the Italian Institute of Culture (5th floor)

Italian Institute of Culture
Grenadier Tower (opposite Jacaranda Hotel – same building as Barclays Bank in Westlands)
Tel: 4451266 / 7
Website: www.iicnairobi.esteri.it

Discussion: Sexually Speaking, Oct 17 2009 @ Storymoja

Sexually Speaking – Come participate in a riveting discussion, led by Valentine Njoroge, a columnist of the Nairobi Star.

Sex is something you do, Sexuality is who you are.

Everything that we are affects our sexuality. The politics and zeitgeist of this epoch mean that we as modern Kenyan women are experiencing and expressing our sexuality in ways that have not been seen before. We are better educated, more exposed and more independent than any other generation of Kenyan women. So just how are we expressing this fundamental human aspect? How are we enjoying this aspect of our lives? Are we fulfilled?

This conversation will not focus on sexual intercourse, but rather how various areas of our lives affect who we are in the bedroom. A glimpse into what will leave you wanting more discussions after the afternoon session:

* How do Kenyan’s kiss? How do we feel about PDA (Public Display of Affection)?
* Pregnancy and motherhood-after other people have lived in you and you have provided sustenance how does this affect your sex life? Diminished desire and libido? Do you feel as powerful as your body does what it was designed to do?
* Aging- aging comes with certain invisibility, how does it manifest itself? How do you reactivate your sex life after being married for a long time?
* Where did you learn your sexual technique? Was there an aunt or a mother or cousins? What about pornography? Do we feel exploited by it or have we used it as a tool? Do our partners watch it?
* What are we telling our children about sex? What do we wish someone had told us about sex before we started doing it?

Women now have choices. They can be married, not married, have a job, not have a job, be married with children, unmarried with children.

Saturday 17/10/2009, 2pm – 5:30pm
COST: Ksh. 1000
Storymoja, Shanzu Road, off Lower Kabete Road, Spring Valley, Nairobi
To book a seat for please call Sheila on Tel: (020) 208 9595, Cell: 0722 838 161
Mpesa your cash to 0722 838 161 or Zap to 0735564394, Cheques are also accepted.
For more information, email: sheila@storymojaafrica.co.ke

Urban Mirror: I LOVE NRB, Oct 22 2009 @ Club Soundd

Urban Mirror Show is back again Thursday 22 October 2009 at Club Soundd, Hamilton House Kaunda Street, Nairobi – Free Entry

Urban Mirror is a project about urban art and public space featuring artists from different parts of Nairobi, selected from those registrered on the Urban Mirror on line map www.urbanmirror.org

The night will feature:
the screening of the Urban Mirror News
public art performances
poetry readings
performance by Ukoo Flani
Dj sets by Just A Band, Dj Ugomatic, Dj Bob

If you are an artist you can’t miss to sign up !!!
Register now on www.urbanmirror.org, post your work or your public art idea on the map and stand a chance of being selected. If you don’t have internet access collect the registration form at the Goethe Institut.

Curated by Urban Mirror CBO

Have a look at what happened during the previous Urban Mirror event in July:

Africa Fashion Fair, until Sep 30 2009 @ Alliance

Wapi presents MC: POINT BLANK, Sep 26 2009 @ Sarakasi Dome

Performances by Jemedari, Jefro, Richy Rich, Rabbit, MC Sharon, Nuru Bahati, Sarakasi Dancers and DJ Zaq and much more
LIVE @ Sarakasi Dome, Ngara Road, Ngara, Nairobi
Saturday, September 26th, 2009, 9am-3pm

OPEN MIC: 1pm
LADIES & GENTS- Free Entry

HIP-HOP-POETRY- SPOKEN WORD — B-BOYING – GRAFFITI – ILLASSTRATION – CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP – SELF ELEVATION- STREET LINGUISTICS- FASHION- BUSINESS NETWORKING

NEXT WAPI: SATURDAY OCTOBER 24th 2009
At Sarakasi Dome, Ngara

Opening of Jukwaani! Festival, Sep 17 2009 @ Alliance & Goethe-Institut

Goethe-Institut and Alliance Française come together again, in another joint initiative supported by the special fund for cultural projects, established by the French and Germany Ministries of Foreign Affairs created on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty. Following the visual arts project, Contemporary Art in Kenya juried competition/exhibition in 2006, This partnership centers around a festival for literature as stage performance.

In Africa, literature traditionally has always been performance, inseparably intertwined with music and dance, before an audience. In Europe, this connection gradually disappeared, but has recently experienced a rebirth, by the circuitous route through youth culture word-art, through Rap and Slam Poetry. Jukwaani! brings all forms and scenes of performance literature together for four days: From the high culture Swahili literature to Poetry Slam, from Swahili free style to indigenous Story Telling, from the Nairobi poets to Rap. Featuring Abdilatif Abdalla, Ahmad Nassir, Sheikh Ahmed Nabhany, the German Slammer Dalibor Markovic, Talking Drums of Africa, Tony Smitta Mochama, Juliani Rapcha the Sayantist, Johny of Span Wan, Ukoo Flani, Zamaleo among others.
A website will cover the festival with blogs, clips and texts.

The festival is held in conjunction with the conference „Swahili poetry in performance“ organized by Bordeaux and Bayreuth universities and IFRA, Venue: IFRA-BIEA, Laikipia Rd. Kileleshwa.

In association with the Kenya Cultural Center

Street Dance International, Sep 12 2009 @ KICC

The Malta Guinness Street Dance International 2009, takes place in Kenya for the first time at the KICC on 12th September.
Crews from across the globe will come together to showcase their prowess in street dance and the winning crew will walk away with 2,000,000/- in cash. The countries that will be represented are; Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, France, USA, Philippines and Netherlands.

To win a ticket visit the website

Nature Fair, Sep 5-6 2009 @ National Museum

Nature Fair
Sat. 5 – Sun. 6 September 2009 at the Nairobi National Museum Courtyard
Entrance Fee: Ksh20/-

Nature Kenya is organsiing a Nature Fair brings which brings over 20 exhibitors ranging from Nature Kenya community groups, plant and animal groups, environment groups, artists, crafts and food stalls, talks and films, spelling bees, quizzes and children’s fun activities.

A continuous series of talks and films will feature Evolution and genetics by Dr. Rosemary Dolan, Challenges of Conservation in the 21st Century by Alex Ngari, Climate Change by Peter Usher, Community led conservation by David Kuria, People and Plants by Anne Powys, Quarry rehabilitation and Ecosystem restoration by La Farge Eco Systems amongst others.

There will be a special performance by Blizzy and Renee, winners of Street Dance 2008 competition and finalists of the Can you dance? Competition 2009 on Saturday and other cultural performances from various groups and acrobatic and puppet shows the whole weekend.

The Children’s Corner will have lots of interactive fun games and activities including: face painting, bouncing castles, trampolines, drawing and painting by Salto Jamboree and Interactive Moments. Other family activities include bird watching, tree and dudu (insect) walks around the Museum nature trail.

Also – Vulture Awareness Day at the Nature Fair
Come celebrate vultures, learn about the future of Kenya?s vultures and what makes them unique! Held in conjunction with the Raptor Working Group of the Bird Committee.

There are lots of Prizes to be won: Courtesy of Sarova Hotels, Turtle Bay, & Beyond, Flying Doctors, Haandis, SilverBird Lifestyle.

For more details on the Nature Fair programme and activities:
Email: office@naturekenya.org or Tel: 020 3746090/9957 or 0725368254

http://www.naturekenya.org/09naturefair.htm

Wapi: Crunch Time, Aug 22 2009 @ Sarakasi Dome

Wapi is moving to a new location: the Sarakasi Dome!

Wapi: Crunch Time – MC: Grongi

Performances by
KENNET B, JUDGE, NAVIO OF KLEAR KUT (UG), KALAMASHAKA, BENADY, KITU SEWER, BIG MIC & PROJECT 98

LIVE @ Sarakasi Dome, Ngara Road, Ngara Nairobi
Saturday, August 22nd, 2009, 10am-4pm
Open Mic: 1pm
Free Entry

Dunda Mtaani Community Festival, Aug 15/22/29 2009 @ Kibera, Korogocho and Mathare

Switch Festival, Aug 7 2009 @ Kenya National Theatre grounds

The Kenya performing arts Group and Stichting Jongerentheater Link –Netherlands are currently engaging in an extensive cultural and artistic exchange program dubbed ‘switch’. This exchange has brought together youngsters from Kenya and the Netherlands in creating a dialogue and to share a creative process that is already resulting into a collaborative performance which will be staged in Kenya and in the Netherlands; all stimulating active citizenship and social cohesion between the participants who are from varying cultural and national backgrounds.

‘The collabo festival’.
The four week program has seen these artistes encounter each other in the arts focusing on various themes; youth and risks, conflict and resolution and arts and entrepreneurship. The festival which will be held at the Kenya National Theatre grounds on Friday August 7th 2009 from 2pm promises to highlight the best of dance, theatre, music, visual arts and acrobatics. The event will be a special session of the weekly dafactory club event. Switch has also partnered with other artistes from the Kibera performing Arts Group and the children’s garden home and rescue centre of which part of the proceeds of this festival will go to.

The tickets are available at the Kenya National Theatre; K-PAG office and Wasanii restaurant for KShs.250

For more information: http://www.kenyaarts.com/switch.html

Salsafari Night, Aug 1 2009 @ 680 Hotel

The Salsafari nights have proven to be the best salsa nights ever organised in Nairobi and 1st of August is another chance for you to see why. The Afternoon will be a 4HR CLASS/WORKSHOP in Salsa, Tango and the exciting salsa styling! The evening will bring together exhilarating dance shows by the amazing group that won the in IDO World Championships this month in Istanbul, Salsa Caliente, and many more. The highlight will be phenomenal performances by Nairobi’s best Afro Fusion artists: Sauti Sol, Elani, Stan and Adele among others will WOW you tlll late! Taking place @ 680 HOTEL the 4 hr Workshop from 2pm-6pm will cost kshs1000 and also caters for your evening entry fee. The evening event starting @ 8pm is kshs300 only.

Email: salsafarikenya@gmail.com
Website: http://www.salsafarikenya.com

Kwani? Readings, Jul 31 – Aug 2 2009 @ Storymoja Hay Festival

From Friday 31st July – Sunday 2nd August, Kwani? will be holding a series of book readings and discussions at the Storymoja Hay Festival including; A Kenya Sketchbook – A New Generation’s Imagination, inspired by the short story competition, a Whistleblower’s Narrative discussion moderated by Parselelo Kantai and featuring Billy Kahora’s newly-released book on David Munyakei, the Goldenberg Whistleblower, City Images and Texts– A 24 Hour Cycle , an exhibition of Nairobi photographs to be published as a coffee-table book by Kwani Trust in September 2009, and many others.

Check out the poster of the events

Celebrating the Lives of Atieno Odhiambo and Bantu Mwaura, Jul 31 2009 @ Goethe-Institut

Knowledge, Culture and Memory: Celebrating the Lives of Atieno Odhiambo and Bantu Mwaura
Conference and Performance
Friday at 6.00 pm
Entry free
info:+254 20 2224640, vo@nairobi.goethe.org

Atieno Odhiambo was one of the most important scholars from Kenya who taught for many years at the University of Nairobi, Johns Hopkins University/USA and Rice University/USA. As a prolific writer, he was engaged in the production of knowledge about Africa and Kenya, within and without the academy. He argued for a development perspective that is informed by the realities of Africa. As Atieno Odhiambo urged the academic community to pay attention to ‘situatedness’, Bantu Mwaura re-enacted the lives of ordinary citizens on stage through theatre and story-telling. As an award winning performing artist, director, playwright, storyteller, poet and university lecturer he was at the centre of popular culture. Both were political and human rights activists who had been arrested severally and, in the case of Odhiambo detained, and tortured during the crackdown on Kenyan intellectuals.

Odhiambo passed away on 25th February 2009. Bantu Mwaura passed away on 27th April 2009, a week after appearing on national television defending the rights of Mau Mau freedom fighters and castigating the post-colonial regime for betraying its citizens. This evening will celebrate the lifes of Bantu Mwaura and Atieno Odhiambo with a series of panel discussions and performances on the theme of Knowledge, Culture and Memory. The contributions will be published in a Special Issue of Jahazi, the arts, culture and performance Journal whose founding editor Bantu Mwaura was.

In cooperation with Twaweza Communications, the History Department University of Nairobi and the School of Journalism

Storymoja Hay Festival, Jul 30 – Aug 2 2009 @ Impala Club

Storymoja Hay Festival Nairobi is a three-day celebration that will provide opportunities for the meeting of minds and sharing of ideas between storytellers and the public. The Festival will act as a platform for readers, writers, listeners and thinkers and provide exposure to some of the world’s leading names in literature as well as some up-and-coming authors. It will also provide space for the culmination of the active participation ‘Kenya Get Reading Campaign’ workshops for students, which Storymoja have cultivated alongside universities and schools over the last two years.

Storymoja Hay Festival Nairobi offers an opportunity to bring much-needed focus on the importance of literacy in improving people’s day-to-day lives, helping improve social cohesion and informed decision-making in an atmosphere of relaxed enjoyment.

Season Tickets (3 days) Ksh 1000. One-day tickets : Ksh 500

It is really impossible to select one or two events from the festival – just check out the full programme of the event and much more on the event’s website

Highlights of the upcoming festival on Kenyanpoet

Screening and Discussion: The Reckoning, Jul 27 2009 @ Alliance

Urban Mirror Show, Jul 25 2009 @ Goethe-Institut

Full programme of the event:

“Kibera Smiles Again”: a documentary about public art directed by Christine Wambui
“Ghetto Mural” by Claudio Torres: presentation of a public art idea
Claudia Muende & Bogoda Theatre Africa: A mixture of poetry and contemporany dance. Claudia is a poetess who’s written volumes of poems. The Group focuses on traditional dances, poetry and narratives.
Kingdom Shakers: A nine members dancers group coming from Nairobi slums. Five girls and four boys.
Capoeira Balanco Negro: They explore various aspects of Capoeira which include movement, instrumentation, singing, history and community. Their vision is to see capoeira gain strong roots in Kenya and develop organically around the country and ultimately the region.
Lithium Multi-Media Graphics: Lithium is a collective of art maestros whose skills and genius stretches from graffiti art, fashion design, videography and photography. The team has a wide experience in the t-shirts portraiture business.
Miriam Rubino de Rinck (MINA): Contemporary Artist. She is an Argentinian artist living and working in Africa and has been living in Nairobi for the past three years.
Nina Ogot: An Afro-Acoustic singer. Her live performances comprise of 4 guitarists and 3 male back-up vocalists. She is a vocalist, guitarist and pianist.
Bonna Fiend: An hip hop singer from Rwanda, currently living in Kenya, working on his first album called Struggle Life
Wafalme: Wafalme is a Swahili word for “Kings”. Wafalme is a music group from the slums in Eastlands Nairobi. They are 16 in number and their avarage age is 12, the youngest being 8 years old and the oldest 16.
Mzizi Mibaya: A reggae musician born and raised in one of the ghettos of Nairobi. His music speaks of life and its trials and tribulations

To find out more about the Urban Mirror project, visit the official website

It’s Our Turn to Eat: Public Reading and Book on Sale, Jun 14 2009 @ National Theatre

This initiative is part of a large plan to finally distribute the book in Kenya. 5,100 copies will now be available throughout the country, as author Michela Wrong explains in an article on Open Democracy: It’s our turn to read. Well done!

Emcee Africa 2, Jun 6 2009 @ Club Clique

Workshop: “Qure Your Mind”, Jun 6 2009 @ Aromatics Spa

We are reaching a point in our ever-changing world where we are questioning and challenging cultural and traditional paradigms. There are better and different ways to think, feel, live and be! If you are watching moments pass you by, feel a sense of `being stuck` with `gaps` then it is time to make every moment count. Change! Getting out of your uncomfortable comfort zones and challenge and stretch the tendons of your incredible mind. EVERY single human being has the brilliance to shift so give yourself a chance.
Tazim Elkington has very recently returned to Kenya following 9 years in Canada. Tazim has consciously worked, created and affected change within herself through a myriad of direct experiences. Her outlook and concept of life is constantly changing and filled with joy and a contagious zest for life. Tazim is a vivacious, lively, humorous and adventurous spirit embodying non-conformity, limitless possibilities and radical ideologies. Her candid expression and language provides one with the opportunity to step out of self-created boundaries and stretch the vision in our minds. Enough of the fluff, let’s bring on the real stuff! It’s time for a mind-blowing, off-the- wall, interactive, brain-teasing workshop!

Date: Saturday June 6th 2009, Time: 2-5pm
Location: Aromatics Spa on 101 Manyani Road East off James Gichuru Road or via Waiyaki Way, Lavington, Nairobi -
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Manyani+Road+East%2C+Nairobi%2C+Kenya

To book your spot please email tazim.elkington@hotmail.com with your full name and cell number. For further details call Tazim on 0714-434574

Organic Market, May 30 2009 @ River Garden Centre

very last minute…(via RafikiKenya

Revisioning Kenya, Jun 4 2009 @ Alliance Francaise

Revisioning Kenya is a great and necessary initiative. Last year we attended the very first edition at RaMoMa duringt the LitFest, and it was a magical, unique opportunity to explore an inspiring range of Kenyan professionals striving to push for a new Kenya. Nairobi Now supports this initiative and encourages you all to attend to promote the Kenya we want.

But what is Revisioning Kenya? A platform for a series of stimulating talks given by visionaries drawn from Kenya, around the continent, and abroad to put forward their ideas for effecting change in Kenya. A selection of the brightest brains and skills gather to impart their ideas on forging a future that addresses and repairs the issues thrown up in the post election violence and which have afflicted Kenya for years.
Mixing young and old, radical and innovative, Revisioning Kenya seeks to showcase expansive ideas and where possible provide appropriate networks to take them forward. The topics of human rights, gender, social entrepreneurship, citizens activity and good governance will be contained within these discourses in an attempt to actively assess and create new strands for Kenyans to work with in revising and reworking those elements of society that clearly have failed.

Tickets are 500ksh, concessions: 250ksh, available at Alliance Francaise
The event will be followed by an informal chat with the speakers in the Alliance’s foyer. Drinks & bitings will be available – special djset by Ugomatic.

Short bios of this edition’s speakers:

Linus Gitahi comes to his position as CEO of Nation Media Group after a long and successful executive career at GlaxoSmithKline, the global pharmaceutical company. Beginning as the head of Africa marketing in London, Mr. Gitahi advanced to commercial director of GlaxoSmithKline where he was based in Nicosia Cypress. He subsequently was promoted to General Manager of GlaxoSmithKline in East Africa and the Indian Ocean islands and ultimately to CEO of the Lagos based GlaxoSmithKline West Afrika.
As Chief Executive Officer of Nation Media Group, he presides over the largest media firm in East and Central Africa. The company serves its market with both print and electronic platforms.

Okidi Fred Onesmus has been living in Mathare for the last 12 years and working with Mathare Youth Talented Organisation (MYTO) since 2004. MYTO is a community based group formed to mobibilize and and support youth and children into productive activities and to help prevent them from getting involved in crime and violence. Together with a group of young people they have set up small goodwill schools to teach young children, build loos and continue to determinedly develop and improve their pocket of Mathare

Ambassador Kiplagat: In a long and distinguished career of service, Ambassador Kiplagat has been an Ambassador to France and the UK, Kenya Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, former Special envoy to Somalia and is arguably Kenya’s most recognised peace maker. With an aura, stature and demeanour akin to Nelson Mandela, his work as co-convenor for Concerned Citizens for Peace (CCP) contributed much to the signing of the Peace Accord. He continues this strong tradition as Executive Director of the Africa Peace Forum. Chairman of K-Rep Group Ltd, Chancellor of Egerton University, Chairperson of the Committee of Eminent Persons and Patron for Revisioning Kenya

Judy Kibinge: Her filmmogaphy includes The Aftermath (2002), Dangerous Affair (Best Production Zanzibar International Film Festival 2003), Bless This Land (Best Documentary Kenya International Film Festival 2006) and most recently Coming of Age (Distinction, Belgian African Film Festival 2008) and The Necklace a (2008). She owns a production house, Seven.

Samuel Muhunyu is an environmentalist based in Molo town. He has worked with many projects in community based groups of women, self help and youth groups in various capacities in campaigning, building and their management. He has worked as a scheme manager for various irrigation schemes and a soil conservation officer for the Ministry of Agriculture. He is also a Commission member for International Commission on Future of Food and Agriculture since 2004. He is currently the regional coordinator for Network for Ecofarming in Africa (NECOFA) an NGO that deals with educating the public on health and social dignity.

Dr. Kamau Gachigi is a material scientist, a lecturer and a researcher in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Nairobi. He has worked there since 1999. He is the founder of a student group tapped to encourage entrepreneurship on engineering and scientific knowledge. The group serves as an outreach to high schools and community as they campaign for the development of the community into a business He is also involved in the setting up of a science park at the University of Nairobi. He spent 10 years as a practicing Hindu and is now a lay Christian preacher, with a particular interest in the linkages between science and spirituality.

Jessica Colaçois a Research Leader at Strathmore Research and Consultancy Centre (SRCC), she was named by ‘Business Daily’ as one of the top 40, under 40 years of age women in Kenya’s business scene.She developed her own system to allow mobile phone users to view detailed street maps of Nairobi and access her user generated point-of-interest (POI) database. She has helped organize the first ever Nairobi Facebook Developer Garage, an event that served as a forum for students from different universities and professional developers in Kenya to learn about the Facebook programming platform.

Jacob Oketch He is a performing poet based in Nairobi. He is also a postgraduate student at the University of Nairobi, school of journalism. Previously, he was involved in theatre arts with the university of Nairobi free traveling theatre. He is currently in the process of releasing his debut poetry audio CD, a ten -track piece. He is interested on the impact of Kenya’s local languages on contemporary trends in poetry. Jacob is also an accomplished story teller and a journalist. He also works with DALC Education as a television scriptwriter and an editor.

Murage Kimani Mzee Murage hit the headlines after deciding to join school at the age of 84 in 2004 after the Kenyan government introduced free primary education. He has been inspirational speaker on various topics. He was last Sunday baptized and he believes he will continue to serve God and help in uniting people.

For more information visit www.revisioningkenya.com

Cultural Library Design Lab, May 25-29 2009 @ Goethe-Institut

Cultural Library is an intercultural design library, initiated in 2006 by Musahino Art University/Tokyo. The project investigates specific phenomena in different cultural contexts with research and concrete design approaches. Currently, the participating locations are Tokyo, Taipei, London, Cologne and since 2009 Nairobi.

The Nairobi theme is urban mobility: Nairobi is a transit city and hub in EA, a city of traffic jams, a city of disparate enclave-like areas bounded together by mobilty into a complex texture. Students of Köln International School of Design and University of Nairobi, Department of Architecture and Building Science will portray Nairobi with photos, cartography and art forms. The project will lead to an exhibition at the plan09 a forum for contemporary architecture in Germany.

The Design and Architecture students’ work will be exhibited and presented at the Goethe-Institut and the design laboratory, open from 25th of May up to 29th of May, 5.00 pm and 9.00 pm, will be opened.

Please check the project’s website www.culturallibrary.com

WAPI She Rocks, May 23 2009 @ British Council

Mc: Liz Ogumbo
Performances by: Queen MC, speCfyd, Malaika, El Ness, Muthoni Ndonga, Naakaya, Eastlandoz, DJ Joey and much more
LIVE @ British Council, Upper Hill Road, Upper Hill, Nairobi
Saturday, May 23rd, 2009, 9am-4pm – free entrance

GRAFFITI BY ASHA GATHEU, HUE LETTI, JEDI NGATIA, UHURU, ESSEN, ABU, SHAN, HARI, SMOKILLAH, BANKSLAVE & FELOK, SCOPTER, FACT, JKELLO, LASE, SCHEME, BANDITS, ABYSS, FINGAZ, SWIFT

OPEN MIC: 1pm