Same Forest. Different Monkeys.
September 16, 2025Thou Shalt Covet: …..(read that again)
September 16, 2025The Day the Music Stopped
The DJ never came. But the soldiers did.
It was Sunday, August 1, 1982. Term 2 had just ended. Across Kenya, schools were closing for the August holiday. One Nairobi school was ready for the end-of-term disco. Boys had ironed their “Pipes.” Girls borrowed perfume from big sisters. Hair hot-combed. Dance moves rehearsed.
But the DJ never came. Because at 3:00 AM, the coup had begun.
Kenya’s Lost Dance
By 9:00 AM, radios were blaring rebel announcements. Parents panicked. Teachers vanished. Buses froze in Eastleigh.
The music stopped — literally and metaphorically. An innocent generation lost its dance, and Kenya lost its political innocence.
Moi’s regime hardened. Dissenters disappeared. The Air Force dismantled. Even in homes, parents declared: “You don’t need discos. You need discipline.”
Fast Forward: August 2025
43 years later, storm clouds gathered again: Prophet Owuor’s prophecies resurfaced on TikTok. CAF inspectors nearly stripped Nairobi of CHAN matches.
Kenya vs DR Congo at Kasarani drew 40,000 fans — but the mood was fragile.
Families in Flux
August holidays = family pressure:
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“Mathe is aging, who’ll pay medical bills?”
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“Fees or holiday plans?”
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“These kids eat like termites. Send them ushago!”
Sales reps, FMCG hustlers, and hotels stumbled through a chaotic season. Consumers felt out of rhythm.
The Diaspora Watched
Nearly 200,000 Kenyans in the U.S. — millions more globally — watched like a reality show. Nostalgic, critical, but glued to Kenya’s drama.
Rugby’s Reminder
Australia beat the Lions, breaking a drought. Proof: teams can rebuild, narratives redeemed, music restarted.
Kenya can too — but only if we stop outsourcing performance to prophets, politicians, and promises.
Final Line
“In Kenya, August doesn’t whisper. It drums.
When the music stops… will you freeze, or will you sing?”
#SameForest #DifferentMonkeys
Originally published on Substack. Read, comment, and subscribe here → https://blog.salesresourceafrica.co.ke/p/when-the-music-stopped?r=2ls3xd
