Mwongela Kamencu

Kenya

Mwongela Kamencu, also known as Monaja, is a recording and performing artist whose music fuses African sounds with contemporary styles in a form he calls Tema-Imba—a blend of rapping (tema) and singing (imba). Trained as a historian (B.A., M.A., University of Nairobi), his music addresses socio-political themes—often with a touch of humor—and reflects more than a decade of artistic and organizing work with leftist movements in Kenya and Tanzania.

Monaja’s artistic journey began at talent search events in his home county of Meru, where he rose as a freestyle battle rapper, winning numerous rap contests. He went on to release two acclaimed mixtapes: Kina Go Down (2010) and Tema Imba (2016), with the latter earning praise among critics and Kenyan hip hop fans. In 2024, he released Melodies na Rap, followed by several music videos. One video, Toshanisha (featuring Man Njoro), resonated widely during the “Gen Z” youth protests in Nairobi.

That same year, Monaja was selected as a ForumCiv Artivism fellow, and released his sophomore album June 25th, named for the day Kenyan youth stormed Parliament. His work centers on resistance, African cultural resurgence, and social critique.

Beyond music, Monaja has taught history part-time at Machakos University College and served for five years as assistant editor of the Ukombozi Review journal.

His current project, Kalcha Yetu (Our Culture), is an album that explores root causes of the global polycrisis—addressing themes like economic inequality, African spirituality, gender, corruption, and cultural imperialism. The project also supports young artists and instrumentalists while building intergenerational dialogue around music and activism.

Learn more at ukombozireview.com or follow @monajamwenyewe on Instagram.