Ex-convict using talent in music to fight drug abuse

By Steve Otieno

The audience mostly made up of teenagers sing along Patrick Mlati’s song. There is urgency in the words — they implore the youngsters not to taste drugs.

They raise their hands up in the air. Reciting the chorus that getting into drugs is easy but stopping is an uphill task.

When the singing is done, Mlati takes the stage to talk about his fight against drug abuse and crime. The audience listen with attention that politicians could envy.

His story is captivating and a lesson to this audience that is exposed to temptations of taking drugs.

Drug trafficker

He was six when his parents separated and his uncle took him in. At his uncle’s home in Kilindini, Mombasa, Mlati unknowingly became a drug trafficker.

His uncle would send him twice every day to deliver a parcel to a certain man, whom he knew by just one name, Mzee Khamisi. He did this obediently for some time.

One day, out of curiosity, he opened the sealed parcel and tasted the white powder therein. He started tasting every time he delivered — and each time he took more.

The larger amounts made him feel good. He loved the feeling. To sustain the ‘high’ feeling without denting the parcel, Mlati, who was now a teenager, started smoking bhang as well as drinking illicit brews.

Kicked him out

When his uncle discovered he had tampered with the parcel, he kicked him out of his house. Desperate to get the daily dose of cocaine, Mlati moved to Nairobi and started stealing to buy the drugs.

In due time, he met a hard-core criminal with whom he robbed banks, passers-by and supermarkets.

Gradually, he was arrested and sentenced to a three-year jail term at Shimo La Tewa Prison.

“In a strange way, getting arrested was the best thing that happened to me. I got sober.”

Although he stopped craving drugs, he did not stop the life of crime.

Then one day, he watched as seven of his colleagues were gunned down by police officers in a robbery incident in Eastleigh, just when they were preparing to cart away millions of shillings in a hired car.

He escaped narrowly. And that changed his life forever. He gave up crime. He has been off drugs for two years now after being under the influence for 16 years.

In his life in drugs, Mlati realised many young people are addicted. So the moment he got sober, he made a personal commitment to get them out of drugs.

He goes to colleges and other learning institutions to speak about the dangers of drug abuse and uses his experience to drive the point home.

Wrong choices

“I want to help as many young people as I can to win the war against drug addiction. I use my life example to warn them against making wrong choices in life. Friends can also determine the path your life takes.”

While he was fighting addiction, Mlati discovered that he had a singing talent.

He has produced three songs in single performances — Magereza, which talks about his experience in jail, Sema ni Baba (gospel hit) and We Need a Change. He says he has sold more than 1,000 copies of his songs, which indicates he is set up for success.

At charity shows organised by different nongovernmental organisations he works with, he takes the stage to perform inspirational songs. Indeed, he says, God can make any of his beaten creations magnificent. Besides singing, Mlati is also an actor who has been assigned various roles in local drama series such as Beba Beba.

Having lived in two worlds — of sobriety and addiction — he says it is better not to touch any drugs that first time.

Being sober

“Life is completely different being sober. I wake up each morning and get to work and do what I love doing most — singing and preaching change messages of drug addiction to the youth. I have extra money to pay my bills and do activities with my friends.

“I’m writing music for our new band, Mahewa. I feel great! It is rewarding to be free from drugs, sober and focused,” says Mlati, who is also a talented emcee at many youth events. He also works with Global Fund Round II and a peer educator.

In the last two years Mlati has been sober, he says, his life is taking shape and heading right direction. He can do extra jobs such as being a beautician and hairdresser.

He now hopes to go back to school to complete his high school education.

“I would like every Kenyan to know that drug abuse is real. Let’s stand up against the vice by helping those in our midst already addicted to stop and rebuild their lives. Just like I did.”