King Kaka refuses to comment on ‘I need protection’ remark after release of ‘Wajinga Nyinyi’ poetry

Kenyan rapper Kevin Ombima, popularly known as King Kaka, suggested in a tweet mid-Saturday that the powers that be are after him after he released a hard-hitting spoken word poetry called Wajinga Nyinyi.

In the art piece, which became an instant hit on YouTube, amassing 68, 000 views in just eight hours, the 32-year-old musician calls out the Kenyan electorate for voting in leaders who are selfish, scandalous, corrupt and highly-deceitful.

King Kaka says — in the poetry — that he blames the Kenyan voters’ poor choices for the economic hardship the country is going through.

“Sisi ni vipofu na viziwi…na tunajua translator wetu alishadedi.2022 already si mnajua nani ni Prezzi… si mnajua nyinyi voters ni washenzi… So, unashangaa akilli zenu time ya kura zinajaa [expletive] (We [Kenyan voters] are visually-impaired and have a hearing disability. We also know that the person who made us see through corrupt people no longer exists. You voters are fools [for electing these people, nonetheless]. You act shocked after voting in oppressive leaders and still wonder why your minds are filled with human waste),” partially says the musician in the spoken word art, which is now popular on social media platforms Twitter and Facebook.

In the piece, the artiste names leaders that he believes are corrupt, selfish and oppressive. The rapper also highlights some of the unfulfilled promises leaders in the current administration made during campaigns in the lead-up to the 2013 and 2017 general polls.

“Welcome to our country where politicians wana ujinga za kila aina. Economy imekuwa hard hakuna kitu ya kuteremsha chai… I support teachers’ [and] doctors’ strikes (welcome to Kenya, where politicians are full of nonsensical ideologies and talk. The economy is struggling; on our tables — back at home — we do not have money to buy accompaniments to tea. I support teachers’ and doctors’ strikes in the wake of these realities,” raps King Kaka.

With tens of thousands of comments on Twitter, and a general endorsement of the poetry by different people, including activist Boniface Mwangi, banished politician Miguna Miguna, Film board boss, Ezekiel Mutua, among others, King Kaka later suggested he had received threats because of his lyrics in the piece of art.

“#WajingaNyinyi at this rate, I think I need protection. If worse comes to worse, mkuje police station (I think I need protection [from the aggrieved leadership that is after me]. If the situation doesn’t improve, bail me out after I get locked up in a police cell),” he tweeted.

His message in the post was implied and not direct. K24 Digital reached him to expound his post, but he declined, saying: “I have no comment about that. I do not intend to speak to the media anytime soon.”