Bonoko’s journey from the streets to the studio

By PKEMOI NGENOH

NAIROBI, KENYA: Many a time at scenes of accident or when folks are exchanging blows and cameras begin to roll, eye-witnesses outdo each other to give their side of the story to the media.

It was  from this ‘witnessing’ as a glue sniffing  urchin that Bonoko rode to stardom.

Bonoko, the young man’s nickname, means toy gun in Sheng, but his real name is James Kang’ethe Maina.

 The Counties caught up with him to share his early life in the streets of Nairobi before lady luck smiled on him.

He was born in Banana, Kiambu County 19 years ago in a family of seven, three boys and four girls, but how did he end up on the streets?

“The incident is still fresh in my mind since I was not yet enrolled in school. My father chased us away from home after a small quarrel. With no money to start life afresh elsewhere, we trooped to the city and everyone went his or her way. My mother became a beggar and I became a street boy around the Globe Cinema roundabout,” he says.

 James at some point would transport goods for people around Ngara area. He slowly became conversant with city streets.

“Maybe because I was young, other people roughed me up after delivering their goods at some locations but I had no option. At the same time I used to assist a friend who used to sell mutura in the Ngara area to dump leftovers for  a token,” he says.

Unfortunately, Bonoko’s mutura dealer was felled by a police bullet and a toy gun was placed on him, probably to imply he was a gang members terrorising residents.

 Bonoko was  away on his errands, but when he found onlookers at the scene, he got a chance to give his side of the story which opened another chapter of his life.

“When I arrived at the scene, I saw my friend lying lifeless. Since most of the onlookers were my fellow urchins who knew the deceased was my friend, they gave me a chance to give the account,” he said.

 That was the genesis of his popular identity and words: “Huyo mtu hakuwa mwizi. Alikuwa anauza nyama pale Ngara. wakamuua halafu akawekelewa bonoko” (He was not a thief. He was selling meat  in Ngara. They placed a toy gun on him to imply he was a thief.”

Hearing the way he narrated the story with a tinge of sadness and funny dialect, some members of the Fourth Estate promised to buy him new clothes but Bonoko insisted on shoes.

Two years later, no one had shown up despite his clip making rounds online and finally becoming a  popular ringtone.

 “When I heard some people were making money from my clip, I was very disappointed. To make matters worse none had shown up after promising to buy me shoes and new clothes. I even heard my voice playing several times on radio,” he shares, sadness written on his face.

In 2011, stinking like any street urchin he made a bold move and walked to Ghetto radio to see if he could squeeze some dough and identify himself as the boy behind the clip, but the security guards chased him away.

As fate would have it one of the afternoon show presenters then, Mbusii  who knew Bonoko, heard about the incident and sent word for him to be brought for an interview. He also bought him some clothes and a pair of shoes for the big day.

“Unfortunately, the shoes were stolen by my fellow urchins on the eve of the big day. I just woke up knowing the day would turn out to be successful. After my first interview, the doors started opening. My friend convinced the bosses to take me as his co-host since we gelled like brothers,” he told The Counties.

Luckily he got the greenlight to work for six months in the station but, without home he had to sleep on the rooftop for security reasons. The rest, as the saying goes is history.

Bonoko is a celebrity in his own right and a very popular radio presenter.