Author: Soila Kenya
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I’ll never forget her empathy
I didn’t know Rasna Warah personally, but our sole interaction gave me a glimpse into her kind soul. After writing an article on my struggles with anxiety on Debunk Media’s Public Square, Rasna, as a fellow writer on the platform, expressed her compassion and understanding to me on Twitter. She went ahead to suggest I…
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No One in Nairobi Knows Their Height
How tall exactly is 6 ‘0? If I presented 5 people to you, would you be able to pick out the one that is 6 ‘0 accurately?
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People Pleasing Will Kill You
Have you ever agreed to attend an event you didn’t want to go to? Or hide your true feelings about an opinion a friend has? I think we’ve all done that from time to time. But if you’re like me, this constant violation of your own values is a frequent occurrence caused by a disease…
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My Mother Told Me: Why Everyday Is Mother’s Day
The first time my mother told me the name she gave me means love, I cringed. “Ifunanya, so that love can follow you wherever you go and you can bring love to others too.” As a fairly tom-boyish child, this saccharine, odd-sounding name didn’t sit well with me. It took my young mind a while…
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Multi-Level Marketing Cults Need To Be Called Out Too
The country is still reeling from the ongoing investigation into the Shakahola Massacre where the congregation of the Good News International Church in Malindi led by Pastor Paul Mackenzie Nthenge were convinced to starve themselves and their children to death in order to meet their maker in heaven. As this tragedy unfolds, one recurring question…
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We, Women With Beards
The smell of Old Spice aftershave is one-of-a-kind. You could be dodging thieves and preachers in downtown Nairobi and still notice the smell if you chanced on a whiff of it. It’s not unpleasant, just potent. And I put it on my neck and chin, right under my nose, so I get a heavy dose…
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Adios Twitter Check Mark
On 20 April 2023, Twitter’s new owner Elon Musk retired all legacy blue checkmarks. Musk chose the date because it’s 4/20, get it? 😅 This came after previous threats to get the check marks removed so that Musk could fully roll out the $8 per month subscription service that was launched in November 2022 for…
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Generational Curse-Breaking: A Kintu Reflection
Discovering a great book among the titles that have been on your to-read list forever is a bitter-sweet feeling. That was my experience with Kintu by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi. But how do I even begin to explain the magnificence of this book? I recently saw a Twitter interaction where, in response to Sauti Sol’s Bien…
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My Name Is Kenya. Like the Country.
My name is Soila Kenya and I have a confession. All the jokes you’ve just thought up in your head right now? I’ve heard them before. Every. Single. One. I promise. I had a classmate in primary school, Class Seven I think, who used to call me a different country name each day. And he…
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The Anatomy of an Anxious mind
I am a Time Traveler. I live in the nebulous space between today and tomorrow; somewhere between this second and the next. I see the future laid out before me during every waking moment. All the endless possibilities compete for my attention and I, a mathematician by default, continually calculate my odds. Anxiety disorder is…