NAIROBI, Kenya – A viral clip of a man singing along to a Swahili heartbreak song has gone viral on social media, drawing attention for the raw emotion displayed in public.
The lyrics, “We mjinga ndiye ulinifanya mimi mapenzi niyachukie, we fala ningekuwa na uwezo wala ungeteketea, we mjinga nilivyo sikupendi usinikaribie, we fala ningekuwa na uwezo wala ungepotea, kaa mbali nami,” capture the pain of love lost.
The lyrics roughly translate to: “You fool, you’re the one who made me hate love. You idiot, if I had the power, I would have destroyed you. You fool, the way I am, I don’t love you, don’t come near me. You idiot, if I had the power, I would make you disappear. Stay away from me.”
The video, shot at a crowded concert, shows the man in a blue shirt singing along with the crowd, his anguish visibly evident.
While several people in the clip, including women, sang emotionally, the man’s raw expressions drew the most attention raising question.
In an exclusive interview with Battle TV, the man shared the heartbreaking story behind his public display of emotion.
He revealed that he had trusted a young woman he was in a relationship with even going so far as to pay her school fees.
Their relationship eventually led to the birth of a child, but the situation took a tragic turn when the woman fell seriously ill.
The man said he had to sell some of his properties to cover mounting hospital bills, as he had already retired and had no regular income.
“I had four houses. I sold three and was left with one because the expenses were too high,” he said. “It didn’t hurt me because I was doing that for someone I loved.”
After a while, he suggested that she return to her parents’ home in the village, where she could receive constant care while he stayed in Dar es Salaam.
“She welcomed the idea, she never objected to it,” he said. They kept in contact throughout her illness, with the woman regularly updating him on her condition.
“I used to do everything within my power to ensure that whatever she needed, I provided without fail,” he said.
However, he soon noticed a shift in her behaviour.
“Sometimes I would call and she would not answer, and she would stay for two to three hours without calling back, something that never used to happen before.”
As the pattern persisted, he couldn’t live with the uncertainty so he decided to visit her parents’ home.
“I expected a warm reception because of how much I had supported her. Instead, things were totally different. I don’t like narrating this story but because you have asked me, my son, I will tell it again,” he said, struggling to hold back his emotions.
Shortly after his arrival, another man appeared at the home and was warmly welcomed by the family.
He went straight to the child, holding him as the family greeted him with visible joy.
“I asked the lady, ‘Who is this?’ She said, ‘Why do you want to know things that don’t concern you? Focus on what brought you here. Later on, you will know everyone else.’”
Feeling increasingly uncomfortable, he suggested that the woman return with him to Dar es Salaam despite not having fully recovered.
“She stayed silent for about 30 seconds. I asked her if she had heard what I said. She told me she had, but what I was asking was impossible.”
When he pressed for clarification, she remained firm and broke the shocking news.
“The response I got from the lady left my body feeling cold. I became completely weak,” he said.
“She asked me, ‘Which one is your child?’ I told her I was talking about my child. She said, ‘You have no child. The one you see carrying him is the father,’ the man recalled, saying the viral clip has brought a flood of messages and calls from people checking on him.
He says he still remembers the woman vividly and loved her deeply; however, despite her asking for forgiveness, he insists he would never take her back.
