‘Rafiki’, meaning ‘Friend’ in Kiswahili, is a coming-of-age film set in Nairobi, directed by Kenyan filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu. The female director has created a film with two women in the lead roles: Kena, played by Samantha Mugatsia, and Ziki, portrayed by Sheila Munyiva.
The Story
The film is based on a short story of Ugandan origin, written by Monica Arac de Nyeko, and follows the story of two friends, Kena and Ziki. Despite coming from politically opposing families, the two share a close friendship and inevitably face the same political tensions that divide their country. Their friendship eventually blossoms into love—something that remains a sensitive topic in East Africa. In Kenya, it's often claimed that homosexuality "does not exist," despite the reality being quite the opposite. Not long ago, Ugandan President Museveni stated in a CNN interview that he was disgusted by homosexuality. Reading the comments on the Facebook post about this interview shows that, for many Ugandans and Kenyans, his statement resonates. After this post was published, Eva de Vries alerted us to a Reuters article stating that the film had been banned in Kenya. The Kenyan Film Classification Board announced that "any Kenyan found in possession of the film is breaking the law," referring to a colonial-era law that criminalises same-sex relations with a penalty of up to 14 years in prison. The film is set in modern-day Nairobi, a city we at Charlie’s Travels love to explore. It provides a vibrant snapshot of Kenya’s contemporary music and fashion scene. The soundtrack is entirely African and exclusively features female artists, including Muthoni Drummer Queen (MDQ), Njoki Karu, and Mumbi Kasumba. 
