KEN WALIBORA:THE FLIP SIDE. BY DAUDI KANJA.

Past Midnight Tuesday 14th, Social Media, like is norm was the first to come up with the alleged news!

The renowned “Siku Njema “Author cum Broadcaster was no more!Reason - Ken has had a terrible accident in USA, Ken involved in an accident BUT stable, Ken involved in a gristly accident but his condition not known! And just before 10 AM Wednesday 15th the spinning wheel in social Media was beyond control! ALL IS FAKE NEWS! Ken, is well and gossip on his involvement in an accident is nothingness BUT HOGWASH! - We started believing in Trump on matters fake news and in any case this is social media NOT the Main Stream Media. Amongst yours truly, we started hoping for the BEST!ROBERT NAGILLA another renowned Journalist, has spoken to Ken, ignore the social media gossip! Social platforms announced with pleasure! Hallelujah! MWASANI/KHAI, all is well!

In the Broadcasters VETS’ Forum, we even started cussing those mean human beings, who kill people, just to nourish their wicked souls! Everything was in a roller coaster mode! KEN! declared a blogger should now write another blockbuster “ WALIPO NIUA NIKIWA HAI! When it came to not wanting to hear bad news,Bloggers again, became our solace! FANS and citizenry alike, would not wish to tolerate BAD NEWS aka FAkE NEWS! We even had the audacity to say “ KAMA MAMBO YA KEN NI UKWELI, Main stream Media would have reported! BINGO! All was well! As the Chronometer , ticked towards 10AM, social forums were at it AGAiN! Breaking news at NTV, where more often Ken Walibora was domiciled- having had his upstart at KBC.At 10.18.28AM, a breaking news scroll appeared for all and sundry to see: KEN WALIBORA IS DEAD. Accident occurred on FRIDAY:(this took me down memory lane on Joseph Warungu’s induction to news at KTN, when Igambi his boss asked him to do a Breaking news item on Bishop Muge- using nice adjectives in respect of the Bishop, Igambi got infuriated and yanked him from the desk and told him, young man!this not time for niceties... the Bishop is dead- Period)All was clear, like the morning dew! KEN, was no more....talk of news hitting someone like a thunderbolt! Later,when Prof. Muiru Ngugi - School of Journalism UoN,tagged me on FB, his tribute on Ken Walibora,I was in a queasy MODE! - tears rolled my cheeks!

SOME OF YOU MAY ASK! Who is Ken Wlibora to you? FIRST off,Ken was an Alumnus of Koelel High School, just like yours truly,a notable Academic Institution per excellence inside an army barracks on one side while the other side lying on a precipice - School of Hard knocks! (no wonder most of the students join the army)that would not be a match to its contemporaries like Njoro Boys, Nakuru High, Menengai High the citadel of excellent performance in the ‘60s. From ‘70s Koelel would surpass them and be at per with other National Schools year in year out! It’s this School then,(where at one time the Principal would bestride in school’s uniform incognito)that Ken wished to undertake his A Levels in 1983/1984. 1982, was the year of the World Cup, held in Spain where Italy, with its top scorer Paulo Rossi, led their team in smashing West German 3-1, thus being at per with Brazil on the number wins of the World Cup! KEN WALIAULA WALIBORA, was a great fun of the French team”Less Blues” and more so Michelle Platini, though his calling was on goal keeping, with DINNO ZOFF, the Italian goal keeper being his hero- Adorning his BLUE color fittings “NA BOOTS za FUTI”,with football fever engulfing every one, KEN AKA ALUFA, went on to lead his MALMATI HOUSE team in winning the inter Houses Championship, having played as a reserve and standing in for KASURA, another indomitable goalie for MALMATI, sidelined due to injury. Talk of a razzmatazz, and Ken equalled Abbas Magongo when it came to goal keeping- Ken,a truly showy character, though off the pitch he re- cocooned unto himself. KEN WALIBORA AKA “ALUFA” morphed to a star- Jose a Form 2 yob then, with his tenancy in MALMATI explains. Henceforth,KEN WALIBORA, a rather shy, tall, dark and handsome A Level student, became the PICASSO OF FINENESS! A WONK on matters academic, though reserved,

KEN,always embedding himself with a FAT novel had lots of interest in both English and Kiswahili, hence metamorphosing to a Supper Linguist.On tow was the rather diminutive slender slim lad Muiru Ngugi ( NOW a Prof. at the School of Journalism UoN) AKA “Philosopher”, Ken’s bosom buddy, whose renowned attributes was exchanging humongous novels that a times hit a THOUSAND PAGER. Muiru a weakling in Sports took over Daudi Kanja AKA “KAKA’s role as School Reporter, years later,a position equivalent to a Prefect. OBAM, an outlaw student, who is yet to pick his leaving cert. cause, on picking it, whoever will be Principal is mandated to bestow on his naked buttocks 10 strokes of the cane as per the BLACK BOOK records(bila suruali) 37 years,after exiting Koelel,explains.

The allure of Ken Walibora intertwined with hegemony and his prowess on spoken word known only on prodding,attracted the Director of a play the EXECUTION,written by another brilliant student currently in the armed forces,Brig. Mushendu. “He explains “ “unbeknownst to a many I was literally talent searching for a character who would fit in an act in the play, that matched the aloofness and the intelligence of Ken! It took me lots of time to convince him to take part having also been sent by the other Actors who visualized him for the part and once he agreed we won at the District level, Provincial and at National level we were position 2 ....kwa position 1 naona kama tulionewa..... Brig. Mushendu with smiley facial explodes. The rather quiet/shy GOALIE, was the STAR, that epitomized Koelel High School to National status!Ken Walibora, was truly, the natural goodness of Shakespeare incarnate..... he,as a matter of fact looked real in his character and was destined for prosperity! Brig. Mushendu adds, with a natural flow, he himself having played a big role in the Act! NOW! My ON/OFF BROMANCE, with Ken Walibora, came to be years later, when the Ex- Koelelians started an Alumni of our School, and yours truly got elected as the Organizing Secretary and being Deputized by another Guru in Journalism Zackary Wandaro! Out of blues Prof. Muiru Ngugi called and asked me to embed Ken Walibora in our Alumni Forum amongst other Comrades.

By then I think Ken was pursuing his PHD on Linguistics and rumor was that,at the same time working for google in introducing the Kiswahili language in their search Engine. Though a BONHOMIE, Ken Walibora, would not start a conversation unless implored.(my Whattsapp chit chat would be short and to the point) BUT, as Discussant, one truly, discovered his hidden talent - INTELLIGENCE and communication skills at its BEST.

Factually, an amiable person, KEN WALIBORA, though starting off his career as a Probation Officer and his friend Muiru Ngugi as a Journalist, he never lost hope in joining where his heart was- BROADCAST JOURNALISM-As fate would be MARIAM OMAR, now a Broadcaster with BBC, was pushing for an ID at Makadara DOs Office and as fate would be in registering to get the document, her paths crossed with that of Ken Walibora and would get to be assisted by him to acquire the ID. Having started her career in Broadcasting at KBC, and Ken Walibora a great fun of the station, he would enquire from Mariam Omar on the possibilities of joining KBC as Broadcaster. MARIAM, prompted him on some interviews that were to be conducted at Kasarani Studios. KEN WALIBORA, did the interviews and as they say the REST is HISTORY!

A first class Honors in Lingusticts and as renowned Broadcaster cum Author, later Ken would pursue a PHD in Comparative Cultural Studies at Ohio University. AND Ken’s ultimate passion would come to be! A Professor in Linguistics.... and like Prof. Muiru Ngugi, his bosom friend since Koelel, I’m saddened that in this ERA of CORVID-19, I will not be able mourn my COMRADE from KOELEL,like it should BE!

FARE THEE WELL - KEN WALIBORA AKA ALUFA.

Oooh man. What's there for say? Nostalgic when I remember our humble days on the corridors of Broadcasting House. Pretty chilled out dude you've always been. Never fazed by the daunting journey to define oneself when surrounded by naysayers. Never rested until your mark in the world was made. Farewell bro. Rest in peace.

It was an honour to know and work with you. I will forever ask myself what this kind of end means. What was all that about? Is that it? Is that all of it? I can't stop questioning what this thing has done to those who still believe in the dream. It is hard to stop asking #RipWalibora #KenWalibora #SafiriSalamaWalibora