Leah Kanyindala sa Nka Mandela 

Lubukusu

Alexander Opicho

‘Mala tawe’ Omusakhulu oyo kakania,

‘Khukhwiyamia sa khwicha nende bibaki ta’

Naba  wanangali ba kulecho bamufwara bikoche,

Bamukhola omwene sialo  musiboe ,

Khwikenya lia Robben 

Musialo sia bamali sie buvubo.

‘Mala tawe’ Omulebela ng’oma oyo Kakania,

‘Busomi bukhaba nende ekitomboli ta!’-

alomela muchimempa mala soni khumoni twa,

Sakemosia ta! Omukoko wa baPakistani oyo,

‘Mala tawe’ ‘ khusava Wele kuli kumwoyo kwo

 Sakenyakha  vakhuyingilila ta,

Elio liye lie kumwoyo,’ Elomo yo omukoko

 Alomela  mungunyi ye Dapchi mumbo ,  

Kanyindalila engunyi, 

kakhaba manani sa kasimia bunoro bwe ta! 

Bunoro bwa komwoyo kwewe Kumunyidafu ta!

Nio Omutayi Kavola ali;Bololi na boli, 

khukhwama Khale-Busoli bulimo siluyo! Na babusoli sa bakosekhananga tawe;-

lola! Omukikwameti Mandela,

lola! Omulebela Ng’oma Malala, 

lola! Leah Sharibu omukhana-bunoro  wa mumbo

Yakhaba Promotheus Omugreek  yesi Kechuva;

Ali ‘mala tawe ‘ 

‘Bunoro ne kumwoyo kwe bunyindafu 

Binyolanga embaka na sivanga’,

Lola! Bunonro  bwa  bikenga

 Buli mumbo busampa Chibok ne Dapchi.

Bukhosiela likwe na mumbo, 

ebuvobo ne bunaswa

nende liloba liosi livone engila ya bung’ali.

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Read the English translation – Mandela Comes to Leah by Prof. Wole Soyinka 

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Alexander Opicho is a poet, an essayist, a short story writer and cultural critic from Kenya