TALES OF COURAGE: How I escaped a life of drugs and crime

Samuel Omare aka 4t Dayz (L) with some members of Pure Talent Galore, Kayole. PHOTO| TOM MWIRARIA

What you need to know:

  • I started performing poetry at a tender age of five during school events. Something that would save me later was brewing inside me but I did not recognise it then.
  • In 2007 I joined St. Lwanga Secondary school, a Catholic-run school but I was expelled while in Form One because I was caught with bhang, chang’aa, muratina, busaa and cigarettes. You name it.
  • In the future I want to be a diplomat or an ambassador for a good cause. I want to sharpen my leadership abilities to enable me be a better leader. I intend to pursue a Degree in International Relations and Diplomacy at some point, too.
  • Do you have feedback on this story? E-mail: [email protected]

They say crime doesn’t pay. I almost paid for the crimes I committed with my life but I escaped by a whisker.

My name is Samuel Omare Tai. I was born in 1992 in Mathare, the last the born in a family of three. Each of us has different father.

My mother was a mama mboga and my father worked at a hotel.

I skipped Pre- Unit and Standard One because the teacher thought I was too bright and the level of studies was holding me back.

I started performing poetry at a tender age of five during school events. Something that would save me later was brewing inside me but I did not recognise it then.

We moved to Kayole in 2000 due to high level of crime in Mathare. My parents’ relationship is not the best. I’ve witnessed my father hit her.

My brother, who works as a matatu driver, would brutally discipline me, sometimes on my mother’s request.

EXPELLED FROM SCHOOL

My sister got married when she was only 18. She works as caregiver at a day-care centre in Kayole.

I’ve lived most of my life with my extended family. My grandparents have played a huge role in raising me. I was always top of my class in Primary School. In 2006, I sat for my KCPE at Kayole Hekima Academy. I was Index Number 1 (1401310001) and I scored 321 out of the possible 500 marks.

Samuel Omare aka 4t Dayz. Activist, spoken word artist and boxer. PHOTO| TOM MWIRARIA

In 2007 I joined St. Lwanga Secondary school, a Catholic-run school but I was expelled while in Form One because I was caught with bhang, chang’aa, muratina, busaa and cigarettes. You name it.

My mother asked my brother to discipline me when she found out about the reason I was expelled.

What she didn’t know was that I first smoked marijuana at 12 so by the time I was 15, I was a regular smoker of marijuana, tobacco and heroine.

After being expelled, I joined Form Two at Ngelani High School in Machakos.I had started losing interest in education. I continued doing music while in school. I composed rap songs too. I was already affiliated with Alliance, a Kayole gang, at this point.

Some members of Wings Glimmer Boxing Club, Kayole. PHOTO| TOM MWIRARIA

In my hood, criminals are the coolest people and the more you're into crime the cooler you are and the more ‘respect’ you get. Thugs are the biggest role models and most of us aspired to be just like or even better than them. You're also better of as a criminal in my hood because it reduces your chances of being bullied, you get free rides on Matatus, the beautiful girls among other favours.

As I was struggling to succeed as a criminal, my mother was struggling to pay my school fees.

BUSY DURING SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

During school holidays, we would rob, pickpocket (we called this ‘pinchi’) and also snatch (‘tapo’) phones, jewellery and cash from people in town while leaving Sunday evening Jam Sessions at Florida 2000.

Spoken word artist Abracadabra. PHOTO| TOM MWIRARIA

We used toy guns to rob people. I never stabbed or injured my victims in any way, though.

In 2010, I was 16 and about to it for my KCSE when I was arrested and charged with attempted arson. I sat for the exams while out on bail. I scored a C-minus.

The case was dismissed after two years due to lack of evidence. I was raising issues about the harsh living conditions in the school such as corporal punishment. I suspect that some other students who were also aggrieved by the same issues took advantage of the situation and tried to set the school on fire. I was implicated because I had originally raised the issues.

SCREAMED WEZI! WEZI!

I remember one time in October 2011, we ordered a mama mboga to hand us her day’s sales. No, the irony of it did not hit me.

We expected her to comply but she screamed Wezi! Wezi ! (thieves! thieves!) I managed to escape but my friend Junior did not. That night, a mob descended on him and sent him back to his maker. He was only 18. He was buried at Lang'ata cemetery.

In 2012, the trend continued and three of my allies were burnt to death by the same mob I had survived. Most Alliance members died in 2012.

I was always smart to avoid arrest because I had had a court case earlier in my life at only 16 and that experience taught me to always be cautious.

Spoken word artist Don Lymo. PHOTO| TOM MWIRARIA

TURNING POINT

But if ever I needed an epiphany, then my friends’ deaths was it.

I cheated death that night when Junior died. I got a new lease of life. In 2015 I went back to music and spoken word and recorded my first poem "I Fight for Love" at a Friend’s house in Mathare.

In November 2015 I learnt about Active Citizenship through the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) leadership course. I have a certificate from the YALI network as a human rights champion. I also started visiting places like activist Boniface Mwangi’s Pawa254. In

December 2015, I joined my first protest that was dubbed #Knockout Corruption.

Spoken word artist Kratos. PHOTO| TOM MWIRARIA

In August 2016, I joined activists to celebrate six years of new constitution by walking 350km from Kisumu to Nairobi. In the same month, we marched for 60km in early 2016 with Jim Nyamu to campaign against elephant and rhino poaching. In the same year we formed Pure Talent Galore (P.T.G) to change our community through arts. Later in 2016, I gave my life to Christ and also joined YALI Network to improve my leadership skills.

In 2017, I did a documentary about my work as a musician, poet and human rights activist. I called it #4Tumentary001.

I joined KCA University to for a Bachelor of Business Information Technology course but currently, I’m on an academic break until January due to financial constraints. I hope to graduate in 2018 and also visit my father's homeland for the first time

PURE TALENT GALORE

I go by stage name 4t days and I am part of a group called Pure Talent Galore. The group has 100 members and going by the same title on Facebook. Our mission is simple: We urge youth to shun destructive lifestyles.

I’m also a member of the Kayole Miller Boxing club and through it, we strive to encourage more youth to join explore their talent in art and sports. We may not have vital equipment that we need for boxing but it’s a start.

Graffiti by Pure Talent Galore, Kayole. PHOTO| TOM MWIRARIA

In the future I want to be a diplomat or an ambassador for a good cause. I want to sharpen my leadership abilities to enable me be a better leader. I intend to pursue a Degree in International Relations and Diplomacy at some point, too.

I'll keep recording and performing more music and poetry which I use as a tool to sensitise the youth, share our pain and for activism.

After doing my first documentary successfully, I intend to record most of my life, the milestones and challenges to use for research and as a learning tool for those who will come after me.

I have a dream of writing a book about my life story.

Finally I want to keep investing in my community to change the narrative of crime and drug abuse that Kayole is synonymous with.

Graffiti by Pure Talent Galore, Kayole. PHOTO| TOM MWIRARIA

Do you have feedback on this story? E-mail: [email protected]