When he sees me, a ready smile lights up his chiseled, light-complexioned face. Behind the smile, his surprisingly raven-black eyes are alert and intelligent. A moustache darkens his upper lip and on his chin and jaws, beards sprout. From his open and honest face, one can tell that he is an easy person to talk to.
We are in Daystar University’s communication studio where he has been helping students edit their videos. This is where Muraya spends most of his waking hours, apart from class time. He is a third-year student majoring in communication. His area of concentration is electronic media but he has taken elective courses in print media and marketing. He works in the studio under the university’s work-study program.
After making sure that the students in the studio are settled, we head to the campus’ radio station office. The rather sterile office is sparsely furnished; two tables and several chairs. A desktop computer sits comfortably atop one of the tables.
He flashes a disarming grin, asks me to sit, takes another sip from the milk packet, and gestures me to proceed.
The lastborn in a family of five siblings, Muraya was born in June 15, 1982. He describes himself as “a mysterious person who lives for the moment”. I must admit that the story of his life is very intriguing and inspiring.
He had an unsettled childhood. He feels that he is from a “broken” family in some sense. “My family was split at one time when my mother moved to Nyeri, taking my elder sister and I along.” The rest of the family was left in Nairobi with his father who he describes as “a professional brewer.”
In 1997, just after he had sat for K.C.S.E, his mother, whom he had adored, passed away. “This was the biggest blow in my life”, he intimates as his eyes cloud for a moment. He was at the tender age of 15 and his life took an unexpected turn. For some time, he had to live with his dad with whom he had never quite bonded. Now and again, he lived with relatives and friends.
“Over the school holidays I would live with my friends. I formed friendships with their families in the process.” The turbulence has also been hard for him. He feels that he is not settled. “I think I will settle only when I have my own home.” he quips.
The conversation moves towards his interests and his face lights up again. “I am an artistic person. Movie making is my thing!” he says with a sudden shot of enthusiasm.
His interest in movie making was sparked early in life. One of his elder sisters worked for Blue Sky Productions, a film production company. Sometimes he would visit the production house and was always fascinated by the process of producing a movie. Sometimes he even acted as an extra in the movies.
He has enhanced his movie making skills through class projects, especially from COM 466, a video production course offered in Daystar University. “That was one lovely experience. I knew I was good through the glowing compliments I got from my lecturer and other people. I carried the movie home and my friends really enjoyed it. This really lifted my morale.” he says.
He is swinging back and forth on his seat, his eyes alive, betraying his passion for movies. His portfolio can be envied by many of his colleagues. He is very handy with a video camera and has covered several weddings and church events. However, shooting a video for Nyeri Hillstead School’s Parents’ Day was a high for him.
Currently, he is making a movie. Actually, it is a class project. He smiles secretively when I ask about the movie. He only gives the title, Behind the Scenes, and I decide to leave it at that.
Muraya also enjoys watching movies, his favorite genre being musicals. “Music makes a movie. If a movie has good music, the music can help define themes as well as bring out the tone and mood (of the movie). Yeah, music matters a lot in the making of a successful movie.” he says as he places his arms on the table between us.
Most movie makers are also actors and actresses. Muraya is no different. He has an acting talent that was nurtured during his primary school days. He had a leading role in a school play when he was in class six. That play went up to the national level in The Kenya National Drama Festivals. He was also a member of his high school drama club. He has featured on local movies as an extra.
We are interrupted by students who are looking for him to sign some recommendations for them. He takes no offence. He excuses himself, talks with them briefly, signs on a piece of paper and lets them know that he is busy. Meanwhile, I sit back in my seat and study him, wondering if he has any other interests other than movie-making and acting. He is in a writing class and has said nothing about writing!
He chuckles when I ask him about it. “Yeah, writing is one of my talents but ... I just don’t like what I write. I don’t think writing is my strongest talent. I am a perfectionist. When I do something, I want to make sure it is the best!” he quips.
He picked creative writing in primary school. Actually, he had no choice in the matter. He had this English teacher who would tell her class to write essays daily. So for him, writing became a chore, another class assignment. In high school, with no one to force him to write, he promptly stopped creative writing except for class essays.
“I only picked up writing again when I came to Daystar University. Actually, I have taken two electives in print media courses.” He says. Clearly, he is planning to develop his writing further in spite of the nagging self doubts.
Music has been said to be a universal language. Muraya speaks this language too. He has dabbled in music production but admits that it is not his cup of tea. He loves listening to different genres of music. Currently, his favorite is soft rock music. The funny thing is that there was a time when he used to hate music. He only developed a liking for music in his teenage years. His first love was sad, slow blues but his taste has changed with the years. At a certain point, he was a diehard fan of rap music but…he jokes that he is now edging towards mugithi!
Since 2001, after sitting for his O’ level exams in Njiiri Boy’s High School, Muraya has held a variety of jobs. His first job, in 2003, was doing promotions with supermarkets. He was under the employment of Impulse Promotions, a promotions company based in Nairobi. He held this job for approximately one year.
After the promotions job, he had a four-month stint in K.B.L (Kenya Breweries Limited). He helped with merchandising, which basically involved visiting bars to make sure that K.B.L’s products were well displayed.
He quit the K.B.L job because of moral considerations and moved on to the hospitality industry in 2005. He worked for Rebels Restaurant where he sporadically served in various capacities: cashier, waiter, and candy shop attendant. He stayed in Rebels Restaurant for a little over a year.
He laughs when I express surprise at how fast he changed jobs. “I just got bored, the pay was meager, and it was taking a lot of my time, including holidays.” he explains.
In 2006, his church, Living Faith Ministries, started building. He was employed to help in the construction work. I pause and look at his slight body-built in disbelief. Contrary to my expectations, he says that this job was the most fulfilling for him.
“It is here where I found freedom. I was working with friends so it was fun.”
He enrolled in Daystar University in 2006 when one of his elder sisters offered to pay his tuition fees. He expects to graduate in 2011 June.
Wycliffe Oyugh, a studio technician in the campus is full of glowing compliments about Muraya. “Muraya is hardworking and sociable. He is always willing to help and rarely looses his temper.” he says.
Maggie Muthee, a third year student who is also Muraya’s neighbor echoes the studio technician’s sentiments. “He is such a gentleman. He is not the type to offend people. Not once has he ever offended me.” she says.
Sorry ladies, Muraya is taken. He has been in a steady relationship for nine months with a girl who works for Delloite.
In the future, Muraya hopes to ‘revolutionalize’ the movie industry in Kenya. “The movie industry in Kenya is still young. I want to be that person who will take it to the next level. However, movie production can be very expensive, but it’s my thing and I will make it. Just watch this space!” he says in an excited voice, full of hope for a brighter future.
Muraya is motivated by his faith in God and his pastors stand out as his role models. His advice to the youth especially those who aspire to be in the movie industry is simple. “Develop thick skin! Prepare for tough times and be committed. You can’t be ‘ish-ish’. Don’t feel inhibited because movie production is a rich field.”
It has been a long conversation but he is still beaming, full of energy and rearing to go. I look over my notes, joke about writing him a one-thousand-page biography to which he laughs heartily.
The packet of milk is almost empty and lies forlornly on the table. He takes one last sip and throws the now empty pack of milk in the dustbin. We go back to the studio where he sits in front of an iMac computer and continues editing his class project movie, Behind the Scenes.
I believe you make your life what it is, but real purpose is only found in God.” he says, a faraway look in his eyes, looking at a world waiting to be conquered.
( 1475 words)
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