Crossing Waiyaki Way

One boy's winding yet determined rise from impoverished orphan to national leader, set against the cultural backdrop of Nairobi's Kangemi slum.

Before he became a political asylum seeker in the US and later an American citizen, Gordon Okumu was just a boy growing up in Kangemi. Despite living in abject poverty, Gordon dreamt of a bigger life beyond the labyrinth of dusty roads and rusting corrugated iron sheet structures. Since Gordon was his mother's only child and the Okumu family had disowned them both after his father died, it was the two of them against the world. Mary Auma taught Gordon everything: how to escape corrupt police; how to send away restless spirits that roamed the shores of Lake Victoria; and how to make ugali (even though their tribe forbade men from cooking). Most of all, she instilled in him an unwavering belief in his own worth and ability.

When Gordon was 14, he held his mother's hand in their Kangemi home as she succumbed to typhoid fever. From then on, Gordon vowed to make his mother proud and forge his own way, even if his culture said he was "cursed," and even if he had to break the confines of what was considered "possible." His ensuing path through adolescence and early adulthood was full of twists and turns, including studying to be a Catholic priest in the Jesuit order; becoming student body president at university; entering national politics with a vision of honest leadership (inspired by Obama's example in the US); surviving assassination attempts; and finally, leaving Kenya in 2016 with no idea if he'd ever be able to return.

With vivid detail drawn from languages, song lyrics, proverbs, and prayers, Crossing Waiyaki Way presents an immersive look into Kenya's rich culture. It is an inspirational, character-driven story of overcoming adversity that reminds us how certain struggles, beliefs, and dreams are universal, and how a seemingly ordinary life can be extraordinary. Crossing Waiyaki Way is a testament to courage, resilience, and-not least of all-the exponential effect of even one small act of kindness to change the course of an entire life.