| ISBN | 9789966151001 |
| Pages | 254 |
| Dimensions | 198 mm x 129 mm |
| Published | 2010 |
| Publisher | Twaweza Communications, Kenya |
| Format | Paperback |
Leading the Night
by Philo Ikonya
Deprived of being heard, people still have a voice. They make it heard in ways that disturb the status quo. This book is an engagement with such voices. Can Deni, Wairi, Yaadi, matatu people, militia people and taxi drivers in Kenya also ask "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?" as Nelson Mandela did. Why do two men wearing bling bling turn into two snakes dancing in Rika's imagination? The web of corruption is intricate. No-one can lead this night alone. It takes many constellations, each one twinkling in its own radius. Many rays of light dispel darkness. The peoples' good leadership alone can check politicians' terrible ways.
Reviews
“Philo Ikonya looks unflinchingly at the horrors of poverty and violence. She brings the voices of their survivors into the spaces where powerful elites gather. She refuses silence and rejects simplification.”
"The poems of Kenyan human rights campaigner Philo Ikonya inspire a sense of urgency and provide a melodious and metaphorical wake-up call to courageous men and women in the struggle for justice."