Lupita Nyong’o has found her voice in response to the Kenyan government’s handling of the anti-tax protests that erupted in June, leading to dozens of deaths and numerous abductions at the hands of the police.
The Oscar-winning actress expressed her concerns to the BBC, stating, “It is chilling to know that this government is resorting to tactics that I had thought had been left in the past.”
She described the government’s approach to the protests as “upsetting.” During an interview discussing her new podcast, Mind Your Own, Nyong’o remarked, “The more things change, the more they stay the same… I don’t know how this story ends.”
In the latest episode of her storytelling podcast, Nyong’o recounted her father’s ordeal. Alongside other African contributors, she shares entertaining real-life stories that delve into the essence of being from the continent. The series features accounts from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, and the diaspora. In an episode titled “The Freedom Fathers,” Nyong’o narrates her father’s story, the only episode so far to address themes of politics and oppression.
In the 1980s, Anyang’ Nyong’o, then a political science professor, opposed Moi’s regime alongside other academics.
Moi ruled Kenya from 1978 to 2002, ruthlessly suppressing political dissent. Following the disappearance of Lupita’s activist uncle, the family fled to Mexico.
Although her uncle’s body has never been found, local reports suggest that the family believes he was pushed off a boat.
“I am deeply grateful for the younger people who are on the front lines fighting for a different Kenya,” Nyong’o stated.
