Toronto, Canada/Nairobi, Kenya, October 28th, 2017

Nsemia Inc. Publishers announces the publication of Voices by Abenea Ndago

In the small town of Songhor in Nyanza, Kenya, there persists a myth dating back to colonial times. It relates to people, termed kachinja, who were rumoured to prowl the area, arresting passers-by and tapping their blood. Supposedly, Songhor survived this way throughout the colonial period and into Kenya’s independence.

At independence, the White Highlands reverted to the indigenous population, becoming a settlement for the local ethnic communities. The myth holds that people routinely dashed for the bushes whenever they saw a red car approaching. Its white owner is said to have used the car to transport captured Africans for slaughter. The man lived near the Songhor Museum Site that was founded by two white men in 1932, and gazetted in 1981. Two African families in nearby Tamu and Muhoroni are rumoured to have been complicit, acting as ‘catchers’ of Africans.

At the white man’s homestead, the main house had a bunker-like hole with a small door, and a grilled opening. Keen observations lead to curious revelations.

This is a fictionalised account based on a long-held myth. It is meant for enjoyment and meditation.

What Others Say

“As a perpetual pupil of history, Abenea uses the past as a springboard to propel his readers and characters into a fervent engagement with the present and whatever lies ahead. A restless intelligence and passion for knowledge is evident in his short or long form fiction, essays and articles on a wide range of subjects published in Kenyan newspapers.” — Sola Osofisan, award-winning US-based Nigerian author and founder of Africanwriter.com