Some young Kenyans turn to kung fu for self-improvement in difficult times

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Growing up on the semi-arid plains of eastern Kenya, Evans Munzaa had planned his future. He envisioned an information technology job, a wife and two children by age 30.

But the 31-year-old father hasn’t had a formal job since completing college 10 years ago, and he doesn’t live with his daughter and her mother, citing “meager earnings that cannot sustain a family.”

Now Munzaa has taken an interest in the Chinese martial art of kung fu to occupy his time and seeks to become a full-time coach. He hopes the Kenyan government, which allows kung fu groups to train in its facilities, will grant funding to a sport that is gaining popularity among young people.

“I have been forced to find ways to survive and earn a daily wage in the informal sector as a thespian, farmer and doing menial jobs despite my widowed mother sacrificing so much to pay my education,” he told The Associated Press while attending a free training at a community hall in Nairobi’s Waithaka neighborhood.

A growing number of young people in Kenya see kung fu as a path toward future income. It has emerged as an alternative to the more popular martial art of taekwondo that is part of some school programs in Kenya and has seen some Kenyans compete in international competitions.

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

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

“This year there have been more young people joining us. Most of them are saying they’ve lost their jobs and are trying out kung fu to see if they can become coaches or compete in tournaments and get paid,” Murimi said.

Kenya has an overall unemployment rate of 12.7%, but the rate among those under 35 is 67% — part of a wider issue across much of Africa’s booming young population.

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

He conducts training near his home in Kiambu county on the outskirts of Nairobi, where rising levels of 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. “Doing some drugs and a lot of bad things, maybe theft, but since I started it has changed my life and it has given me a purpose in life.”

In the last five years, about 4,000 students have received free training sessions through kung fu clubs that Njonge has established in 24 public primary schools across Kiambu county. There is a shortage of coaches for them, he said.

He believes that kung fu teaches discipline, improves health and gives people the skills to defend themselves — not just physically but also mentally and socially.

A student, Aisha Faith, said she has improved her school grades due to the precision and discipline acquired during training.

“Kung fu has transformed me physically, mentally and academically. I used to be a slow learner, but ever since I began practicing kung fu, I’ve become sharper and faster, which has significantly improved my academic performance,” she said. “It has also helped me steer clear of vices and bad influences, as I now spend most of my time focused on training sessions.”

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

The more he trains, the more “my mind is also training to persevere in life,” he said.