Kenya’s colonial past had a profound impact on Kenyan-British author Njambi McGrath’s childhood and upbringing. From a young age, she was forced to speak English in an education system heavily influenced by British standards. The focus on British culture and history eclipsed her own rich Kenyan heritage.
In recent years, while living in Britain, McGrath went on a journey of self-discovery, reconnecting with Kenya and learning about the traditions, history and values that were glossed over during her childhood.
Her compelling debut novel, Rinsing Mũkami’s Soul, is the product of that journey. McGrath takes the reader deep into the life of Mũkami, a young girl living in poverty. Diligent and ambitious, Mũkami is awarded a scholarship at a prestigious school and dreams of becoming a geologist. But her aspirations are dashed by the harsh realities of life as a Kenyan girl. When her family is displaced, they end up in a slum, with barely enough money to survive. Despite this, she remains determined to complete her education.
Her life changes drastically when she falls in love with the deceptive Kĩmathi, a boy who is a bad influence. McGrath captures the realities of Kenyan life, the clash between old and new, and the imbalances in the power relations between young men and women in a passage describing Mũkami’s first encounter with Kĩmathi: “I sense his aura before I can look up. His presence fades the classroom noise into the background. It’s been several days since we first met, and I found out he’s a new boy in my class. His desk a few rows down from mine. My eyes roll up his creaseless uniform, landing on his baby face. He is masculine yet delicate. He’s pressed against my desk, and I can feel his breath on my skin.”
When he shows her a picture of Madonna, her cheeks burn. “My school shirt is damp, magnifying the smell of sweat from my armpits. I’m embarrassed by not knowing what to say, by my clothes, my ugly tyre shoes, the way I speak, and not knowing who the woman in the picture is.”
When she tells him her name, he says Mũkami is boring. “‘From today onwards, I will call you Madonna.’ ‘Who am I to resist?,’ she asks. Nothing about him is conventional. He is so refined. I wonder where did he come from? He is different. I’m the opposite, primitive and uncultured.”
In Kenya, most young men are raised to be sexually adventurous and aggressive to demonstrate their masculinity. In contrast, girls are expected to be chaste, domesticated and compliant. Women and girls who deviate from these designated roles risk condemnation from community members as well as physical and sexual violence.
When the innocent falls pregnant, she’s expelled from two schools and struggles to find a safe abortion in a country governed by Victorian laws. Like many Kenyan girls, her future is derailed by circumstances beyond her control. McGrath insists that the focus should be on the perpetrators of violence rather than blaming the victims. Without anyone to hear her, Mũkami declares revenge.
Commenting on the novel’s title, McGrath said, “Mũkami’s soul needs rinsing because of the hardships and traumas she endures. The title signifies her journey towards finding a way to cleanse and heal her spirit amid the chaos and suffering.”
In an interview with The British Blacklist, McGrath spoke about what inspired the novel. “During lockdown, I wrote a yet-to-be-published book about a dysfunctional compound called The Ministry of Works. Each of the characters are distinctive and Mũkami spoke to me with an urgency I couldn’t ignore, and so the book was born. I felt she deserved her own story. Her story is familiar, afflicting many girls in Kenya. Growing up, I heard of countless girls who had died or were permanently injured by unsafe abortions, so it felt right to have Mũkami go through this.”
Her research into colonial history and its impact on Kenya is evident throughout. The novel touches on the vestiges of colonialism, such as land dispossession and societal division, which continue to affect Kenya today. Against this backdrop is the portrayal of community. McGrath highlights how, in the absence of a governmental safety net, Kenyans rely on each other for support.
Rinsing Mũkami’s Soul is a powerful tale of resilience and self-determination. McGrath pays tribute to the strength and spirit of Kenyan women in a rich, culturally vibrant and emotionally compelling story.
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