Bantu Mwaura - A poet, thespian, Activist and Lecturer found Dead

Bantu Mwaura - an award winning performing artist, director, playwright, storyteller, poet and university lecturer is Dead.

Bantu was found dead outside his gate at the  Sunlight estate in Nairobi’s Lang’ata area, on Monday (today) morning. His family had reported him missing on Friday evening.Police are  currently investigating the cause of his death.


 Bantu was also  a  very vocal political and human rights activist and a cultural theorist who  worked mostly with civil society using theatre and performance in human rights and developmental work.
I last saw Bantu at a TV talk show on KTN as he was discussing with Micheal Oyier on artists and politics, my guess is, that was his last public appearance on National TV.

I got to know Bantu through the monthly Kwani open Mic nights in its early days where he never failed to read one or two of his poetry. Most of his poetic work was in criticism of the Kenyan Political scene through sarcasm.
A fellow thespian and activist, Phillo Ikonya who is also the President of PEN International Kenya conveyed her deep shock as she wrote the news to  a google forum for poets of which I am a member.

My heart goes out to his Family  at this time. I will post more information as I receive it.

I leave you with an execerpt from his poem,  The Politician


The Politician

This donkey is a politician
It don't care
It kicks it owner
Who voted for it!
Toils hard to get kickbacks
From every deal
At the expense of its owner
The voter
This politician is a donkey
It don't care

...

This politician is a praying mantis
It prays and teases
To mate with the male!
But soon as it sucks life's juices
It snaps off the life of its lover
This praying mantis is a politician