I left Ebutsetse to go and look for a job
I was tired and saddened with my life
I have lived in Nairobi for many years
But I’ve found no work
I decided to go back home
To do farming on the land
That my father gave me
So I won’t suffer again
Which year will I get employment
And become like my friends
And leave behind this habit
Of always borrowing
Now I want to tell you what I went through in Nairobi
Whenever I recall what I went through,
I just vow never to return to Nairobi
I entered the town with my shoes all worn out
I was pretty much walking in my socks
I walked for some distance then I arrived at Majengo
I entered into a house of a lady called Fatuma
She welcomed me
However, the owner of that house was around
Little had I relaxed on the bed that I heard a knock on the door, ndondondo!
It was the owner of that house
I had to hide under the bed
But the man had stored his whiskey under there
When he bent down to search, he touched my head
Scared, he said “Hey Fatuma, we never have a cat in this house,
Where has this come from?”
As I tried to escape, he hit me with a basin
I shot out of that house and found a guy preparing ugali nearby
I stepped on his jiko [charcoal] and I was seriously burned
Then the man took that same jiko and threw it at me which burnt my trousers
I shot again this time now towards River Road
Then I heard shouting, “Stop that car, stop that car!”
But it was my trousers burning, and they thought it was a vehicle’s tail lights
I had to jump into a ditch where fat dogs were lying
From there, I went into another house of a Luo lady
She then asked me, are you a Luo?
I said of course!
She spoke to me in Jaluo
So I started [speaking in mock Jaluo]:
If you step into this compound we'll cut you up and throw you to the hyenas!
She threw me out
“You are not a Luo, get out of here!”
---
Luhya:
Ndarula Ebutsetse nthithanga khukhava mirimo
Vulamu vyanjonyango vuli nende shivera
Ndakhamenya Nairobi miaka minji sana
lakini leshe muvire, shindanyola mirimo
Onyangesie ngalukha ingo
enzia khulima mkunda
kwa papa yambesia
endakhanyakhana
Kulivyakho mwaka shina
kwendinyole mirimo,
embe shia vashianje
endeshenje khusava
Laano Khasatsa nenya khumbirakho makhuwa kendanyola Nairobi
Ndali ndethula ndakhakalukhekho Nairobi ta
Msatha Ndalinji isaino ndinjire mtauni nolenga shilaro lisero liankhanga khuakha
Isoksi in isenanga tha asi
Nenjeenda, nindula Majengo
Niinjira wa mkhayo wundi Fatuma
Niangaribishia
Khani mwenye inzu iyio avethangao
Khatsatsa kho ndakhoalisia, enga khumulango ndondondo
Khali ni mwenye inzu iyo achereranga
Khatsatsa ndekhupa mulwalo
Khali yavikhanga Whisky yiye mulwalwo laano mutsatha
avasha mulwalo yenya khunywa
Yandira khumurwe
Lareva eh Fatuma, lipaka lilavetsanga munzu muno ta, lero lilimwo?
Khatsatsa sa nenya khuikunja, lipesheni ngarrrr
Yamala nenthomokhamo thimbiro
nenyola khatsu khandi khandi khaalishe ovusuma amuliango aah
Mwana ndasenya mwijiko ndayia ovutinyu vwa makana
Khase akho khavukuli lijiko khandesere ilongi iyambira mmatkho pe
Khandi khatsatsa nemjomoka thimbiro nenjomire khu River Road
Neulira vase vandi vavola simamisha iyo gari, simamisha iyo gari!
Khani ne shitasi shiambire khumatakho navo vakalanga ne thidimu thia mutoka
Ndamala ndiifira muikalavati mwana thimbwa thiafimba thivere tha mwene mulia
Nerulao nithia munsu ya mukhasi undi munyolo khandi
Yareva we ni mjaluo?
Ndio, me ni mjaluo
Ongea kijaluo mi nataka kusikia
Lano kha khatsatsa njaka lunyolo
[speaking in fake Luo]
We sio mjaluo toka
