Chenda Chenda Cultural Festival Loosing Focus and Popularity

By Joseph Mwarandu

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

The idea of Chenda Chenda_ came about when Vincent Mwachiro, Mfalme wa aMidzi Chenda, returned from a visit to Libya.

The invite, through the then late Pan Africanist Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi, saw Kamlesh Pattni, Mwachiro and a few Kaya elders trip to Tripoli to showcase their African-ness.

This gathering was supposed to cement the Libyan leader’s revolutionary and political theory of United States of Africa but for his assassination by Libyan rebel forces in 2011 under President Obama administration.

I believe after coming back Mwachiro wanted to solidify his position as a King of the _aMidzi_ _Chenda_. And remember he was crowned King of the _aMidzi_ _Chenda_ in Libya.

Apart from self-proclamation and egocentrism mantra, Mwachiro had in his mind the idea that the _aMidzi_ _Nation_ was so divided that unity was inevitable.

So, apart from personal ‘gain’ if any, he had a noble idea of creating unity among us. I believe these were the reasons why _Chenda_ _Chenda_ was floated.

However, Mwachiro had no funds to facilitate his idea so as usual he approached the political class and as usual too the politicians saw an opportunity and grabbed it with open hands!

Then, the deceit and manipulation became the order of the day to gain political mileage and so it was!

To understand this, let’s go back in time and see which politicians have sought Kaya elders’ blessings for political expediency.

In April 28, 2006, the installation of then Mvita MP Najib Balala as a Midzi Chenda Kaya elder backfired after Mzee Pekeshe Ndeje was told he lacked powers to install a non-Midzi Chenda as an elder because the position was reserved for community members only.

Earlier to this (August 30, 2004), the late Emmanuel Karisa Maitha “Mgogo” was declared not yet a full Kaya elder and “king” (mgogo) of the Midzi Chenda by Kaya Fungo chairman Mzee Simba Wanje.

The then fallen cabinet minister was supposed to undergo two more rites before he could become a Kaya elder and “mgogo” of the nine subtribes community.

Other non-Midzi Chenda politicians who have sought the Kaya elders’ blessings for political expediency are the ODM leader Raila Amolo Odinga and Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi in 2007 before their fallout over the mode of ODM presidential flag bearer nomination.

In order to preserve the rituals conferred to them, the Kaya elders gave the two protagonists two-week ultimatum to appear before them for a ceremony to undo an oath they took binding them at Kaya Fungo shrine!

My feeling as far as this festival goes is that our unity of many years since we came from Shingwaya is on the verge of breaking up if not stopped in time from political interference.

When the _Ngiryama_ broke and each son of Mbodze na Matsezi got his/their name The Unity that we had during the exodus broke up and we assume the slogan “Everybody for himself and God for us all.”

However, for a long time after that episode there was unity of purpose  in certain matters regarding rituals, but this unity faded away after the weakening of the Kaya institution by the missionary factor and establishment of colonial rule.

The missionaries and the colonial rule saw many an activities come almost a standstill as the bible (cross) followed the flag.

Our pioneer elite embraced the foreigner’s religion, education and the way of life and this action or omission further weakened the Kaya institution.

We urgently need to reconsider our position as _ana_ (children) aMbodza na Matsezi and ask ourselves ” Umwenga wehu wababdikahi?”

Poet Kazungu wa Hawerisa said: “Umwenga wehu Wabandika muho wa Mwache (Kaya mutsakara)”. If we have to give _Chenda_ _Chenda_ festival any significance and historical perceptive, we have to jointly (all nine subtribes of us) to fix the festival venue to be at River Mwache or its environs to articulate how we can retrieve our unity.

Meaningful unity

In order for the _aMidzi_ _Nation_ to be respected  thy must seek economic  power (gema narrative) so how can we achieve this goal?

Let us fix Chenda Chenda festival at River Mwache Kwale; allocate at least three (3) days for the festival with activities of culture and heritage, interfaith dialogue and intergenerational talks to decolonise and deslavenise our minds. 

The first day of the event is when local visitors or foreigners can attend, learn and enjoy themselves as festival goers/lovers. They can camp overnight to enjoy night events _katotokatoto_, bonfire and traditional dance performances.

Again soko festival shall provide opportunity for guests or tourists to see our cultural goods and buy.That way our people  can make money.

Second day to be set aside for serious business, that is, meeting of all stakeholders, academics professionals (lawyers, teachers, doctors, economists, managers, elders, business community, mama mboga, bodaboda, etc) to discuss how the _aMidzi_ _Nation_ can unite but more importantly how they can achieve economic freedom.

Then, form committees which will deliberate on the decisions made and move to implement the same.These committees shall be required to report quarterly before the next festival.

The quarterly meetings can also be planning meetings and mini _Chenda_ _Chenda_ events to raise money for the next Chenda Chenda festival. 

Consequently, all _aMidzi_ shall own the event instead of leaving it for politicians to show their muscles “baha jumwa baha kihuhu” narratives. On my part I will not stop talking about  _aMidzi_ unity.

My inner self tells me the little contribution that I make can somewhat one day open doors for discussion and eventually the realisation of the dream (_katsenzere_ narrative).

Although the Midzi Chenda Kaya Elders Association organises Chenda Chenda festivals every year September 9 to celebrate the Midzi Chenda culture and foster unity in diversity.

This year, according to the association coordinator Tsuma Nzai, is Kwale County’s rightful turn to host the rotational event following last year’s Kilifi County edition.

However, from unexplained reasons, Kilifi County went ahead to hold a parallel function at Pwani University knowing very well it was supposed to be held at Kaya Mtswakara in Kwale County!

The Kilifi move indicates deep-seated ‘mistrust’ existing among the nine subtribes (seven in Kilifi and two in Kwale) on the Chenda Chenda festivals that in really sense have become political arenas to gain individual mileage.

To save the Midzi Chenda community from integration, time is now to hold the nine subtribes together through _ngiriama_, a cultural charm that for long has been attributed to their disunity since it (ngiriama) broke at Mwache River, historically believed to be the beginning of disunity among the Midzi Chenda community.

For this to succeed, it will require the Kaya elders of all the nine subtribes’ shrines to speak with one voice and their word not that of the politicians should be final when it comes to Chenda Chenda festivals.

The Author is a Senior Counsel in the High Court of Kenya