Deejaying has kept me sane behind bars

 John Mutembe AKA DJ Oxygen Hewa Safi

  Serving life sentence has not stopped John Mutembe from pursuing his dream He has honed his deejaying skills behind bars and even has a TV show

Of all names, why did you choose DJ Oxygen Hewa Safi?

Oxygen denotes life. It is the air we breathe, which is pure. I decided to breathe in new life to my fellow inmates through entertainment. Life in prison is no joke!

So, what is your real name?

I’m John Mutembei, a born-again Christian and the first prison deejay in Kenya. I was born in Meru County in Uringu village before proceeding to Bingwa High School for my O levels.

You are currently serving a life sentence. What happened?

I remember the day very well. It was in 2010 and I received a call from my friend who wanted me to drive him to Nanyuki. I didn’t suspect anything since he was a close friend. Along the way, I realised there was a cop’s vehicle that was following us.

They stopped us claiming the car had been stolen. My friend managed to escape while I was left there, stranded. Everything happened so fast. I was arrested and charged with robbery with violence. I was only 21 years old.

How was life in prison?  Did you try to fight for justice?

Well, it was tough. I was disturbed because it was my first time in prison and had just cleared my O levels. Meeting strangers in prison was scary because I used to hear cases where people were being mistreated.

I have made friends here and they are not as bad.  My family has been there for me in my quest for justice and very soon, we are planning to appeal the case, hoping that the truth will come out and the real culprits will be apprehended.

Looks like you have really perfected the art of deejaying...

Yes. When I came here, I realised there were no DJs. I chose music to keep my mind sane. It was a stress-reliever.  I was inspired by the famous band UB40, who started their music journey in prison.

Further, I read books and watched TV to learn how to perfect the art. I approached the person in charge of social welfare and pitched my idea and after a couple of months, they agreed to support me.

I gave a friend of mine a call and told him that I wanted to become a deejay. Together with my family, they raised Sh90,000 and bought the equipment. It has been an amazing journey.

You host a gospel show, Kugosha, on Utugi TV. That must be big, right?

Yes. Every Sunday, from 8-9am, I host a small show recorded from prison. It has made me so famous and my fan base is growing.

Most of my fans are women who love me. I have received several marriage proposals from them!

Do you have mentors?

DJ Joe Mfalme is one person I hold in high esteem. I love his work. I watched him Deejaying and borrowed a few tricks. I would love to work with him.

Which genre do you love to play?

I love Bongo, soul and gospel music. However, I play songs that my audience demand.

Which is your most memorable performance?

Perfuming at the recently concluded ASK Nairobi show. My fans were happy to meet me. We really interacted and I felt like a ‘real’ celeb!

What advice would you give young people who are in crime?

If you are in bad company, please leave that circle because that will be your downfall. If I was not in a bad company, I wouldn’t be in prison today.  Time wasted cannot be recovered.