As the debate on popular Kikuyu artist Kimani Wa Turacco controversial song, 'Hatuna Deni, Kitaeleweka' ranges on, it is only good to look back and see where the artist could have borrowed the leaf.
Wa Turacco is not the first artist to compose such a song that evokes emotions leaving the country speaking for days, neither will he be the last.
For starters, the song simply tells DP William Ruto to forget the Kikuyu presidential vote come 2022 as Central Kenya community owes him nothing.
As I have stated, Wa Turacco is not the first to court controversy through his artistic work.
There have been such other artists before like John De'mathew, Kamande Wa Kioi and recently John Njau behind the hateful 'Ikamba' song.
All these artists found themselves being hulled into court to answer to hate speech charges.
However, today let's focus on another artist before the trio who found himself in more trouble for 'insulting' former President Daniel Moi.
Kariuki Wa Kiarutara who is popular for his rich composition of Kikuyu secular songs that talk of love, politics, morality to name but a few reportedly found himself in Moi's wrong books after the release of his hit song 'Waruhiti' (hyena).
A story is told of how the late powerful Cabinet Minister and Moi's confidant JJ Kamotho, may have hinted to the President that the song was aimed at him apparently for his tyrannical rule and biased policies that seemed to target the Gikuyu community for being opposed to his administration.
The song was immediately banned and it was illegal to be caught listening at the same publicly.
Kariuki was also banned from releasing more songs which went on till Moi relinquished power in 2003.
This could perhaps inform why Kariuki released another hit song 'Utheri Riu Nimwoneku' (Light can now be seen) immediately after Moi left State House.
The song basically castigated Moi's 24-year reign while portraying him as a 'heartless dictator' who had destroyed Central Kenya economy in its entirety.
#historynow