Young Kenyans embrace Kung Fu for growth amid challenges

Evans Munzaa grew up in the semi-arid plains of eastern Kenya and had his future planned out. He envisioned a job in information technology, a wife and two children by the time he was 30.

However, the 31-year-old father has not had a formal job since finishing his studies ten years ago, and he does not live with his daughter and her mother, citing “a meager income that does not allow him to support a family”.

Today, Evans Munzaa is interested in the Chinese martial art of kung fu as a way to occupy his time and is looking to become a full-time trainer. He hopes the Kenyan government, which allows kung fu groups to train on its premises, will provide funding for the sport, which is gaining popularity among young people.

“I was forced to find ways to survive and earn a daily wage in the informal sector as a comedian, farmer and in menial jobs, while my widowed mother sacrificed a lot to pay for my education,” he told The Associated Press while attending a free training session at a community hall in Nairobi’s Waithaka neighbourhood.

In Kenya, a growing number of young people are looking at kung fu as a way to earn money in the future. Kung fu has become an alternative to the more popular martial art of taekwondo, which is part of some school curricula in Kenya and has allowed some Kenyans to compete internationally.

The growing visibility of Chinese workers in Kenya on major infrastructure projects has also sparked interest in their culture in a country known worldwide for its runners.

Coach Kennedy Murimi trains dozens of children and youth in Nairobi’s Kawangware neighbourhood and has noticed a significant increase in the number of learners. He says the number of people attending his trainings has tripled in the past few months, to about 60.

“This year, more young people have joined us. Most of them say they have lost their jobs and are trying kung fu to see if they can become coaches or participate in tournaments and get paid,” Mr Murimi said.

Kenya has an overall unemployment rate of 12.7%, but the rate among those under 35 is 67%, part of a broader problem affecting much of Africa’s burgeoning youth population.

Ngaruiya Njonge is the president of the Kenya Kung Fu Wushu Federation. He first trained 30 years ago after being inspired by Chinese martial arts films.

He trains near his home in Kiambu County, on the outskirts of Nairobi, where rising alcoholism and crime have raised concerns among local leaders.

According to Elvis Munyasia, one of Njonge’s students, kung fu has helped him. “Without kung fu, I would be an alcoholic right now,” he said. “I would do drugs and do a lot of stupid things, maybe steal, but since I started, kung fu has changed my life and given me a purpose in life.”

Over the past five years, about 4,000 students have benefited from free training sessions through kung fu clubs that Njonge has set up in 24 public primary schools in Kiambu County. He says the clubs are short of coaches.

He believes that kung fu teaches discipline, improves health and empowers people to defend themselves, not only physically, but also mentally and socially.

One student, Aisha Faith, said she improved her academic performance thanks to the precision and discipline she gained during the training.

“Kung fu has transformed me physically, mentally and academically. I used to be a slow learner, but since I started practising kung fu, I have become sharper and faster, which has improved my academic performance significantly,” she said. “Kung fu has also helped me avoid vices and bad influences, as I now spend most of my time concentrating on training sessions.”

For Evans Munzaa, kung fu has also been a lifeline. He said he once contemplated suicide due to financial constraints, but when he started attending training sessions, he learned skills in perseverance.

The more he trains, the more “my mind trains to persevere in life. “