Mzalendo

To an electrified crowd
he orchestrated a speech never heard
punctuated by enhanced body movement
diction dictated
pauses posed
mustering a standing ovation

none thought his miniature frame
could have commanded a presence
among ambassadors, lawyers and men of cloth
inside the towering Six-Eighty Hotel

none expected
that the unknown man will mouth platitudes
capable to shatter walls of undecidedness

like Martin Luther King Jnr.
he launched his 'Dream Speech'
Only that he was blind and paraplegic!

during the charged katiba days
he spoke
spoke of conciliation
spoke of Wanjiku
spoke of voice of reason

he spoke again
in August House- against MP's pay hike
the House booed him
nearly skidded his wheelchair

i fear he speaks a lot
against the Establishment
throwing barbs in small intoxications
in his trademark satire juggle

people call him Mzalendo
because he hates magendo and makwerekwere
Mzalendo established Mzalendo Foundation
to tap wasted brains

Mzalendo is a small man
with big brain and big heart
Mzalendo mixes freely
with the tailored-suits and tattered-soots

i once asked Mzalendo whether he's rich or poor
quipped: rich or not but I am not intellectually dishonest.

C) Lorot Salem 2010