'Mkono wa shetani' & 7 other stories from left-handers in Kenyan schools

Every 13 August, the world celebrates International Left-Handers Day, a day dedicated to recognising the uniqueness of those who use their left hand more naturally than their right.

Globally, left-handers make up about 10 per cent of the population, but in Kenya, the experience of growing up left-handed has often been more than just a difference in hand preference.

For many, it has been a blend of curious stares, myths, teasing, and sometimes even subtle admiration.

From the infamous label mkono wa shetani (the devil’s hand) to the belief that left-handers are naturally brighter, stories from Kenyan classrooms reveal how children navigated life while holding their pens, spoons, and even hoes differently from the majority.

Here are 9 experiences most left-handers in Kenya will instantly recognise.

1. Being called mkono wa shetani

Many left-handed children in Kenya grew up hearing this phrase, which literally translates to 'the devil’s hand'.

While often said in jest, it reflected a lingering cultural stigma in some communities where using the left hand was considered wrong or disrespectful.

READ ALSO: 5 struggles only left-handed people can relate with

For a young child, being associated with something evil could be both confusing and hurtful, leading some to try and switch hands just to fit in.

2. The 'you must be very bright' assumption

A curious stereotype in Kenyan schools is that left-handers are unusually intelligent or creative.

Teachers and classmates would often put expectations on the left handed students.

While flattering, it also created pressure for some children to meet these unspoken expectations, even when their academic performance was average.

3. Struggling with the classroom desk layout

Many Kenyan classrooms have desks designed with right-handers in mind shared benches with slanted writing surfaces that favour the right hand.

For left-handers, this often meant awkwardly twisting their bodies, having their elbows bump into desk mates, or smudging freshly written work because their hand followed the ink.

READ ALSO: 10 dangerous consequences of switching from left-handedness to the right hand

4. The pen and ink smudge battle

If you were left-handed in the era of fountain pens or wet gel pens, you know the struggle. As the hand moves across the page from left to right, it smears the writing, leaving a messy trail of ink on both the paper and your hand.

This sometimes led to teachers unfairly assuming left-handers were untidy writers.

5. Eating etiquette conflicts

In many Kenyan households, eating with the left hand is considered impolite, especially when sharing from a communal plate.

Left-handed children were often reminded, 'Tumia mkono wa kulia' (Use your right hand), regardless of their natural inclination. Some learned to eat with the right hand in public while reverting to their left hand in private.

6. Trouble handling tools in practical lessons

Subjects like Home Science, Art, or even Agriculture sometimes meant sharing tools, scissors, hoes, or knives. Most tools were made for right-hand use, making them less comfortable for left-handers.

This not only slowed them down but occasionally invited teasing from classmates who thought they were clumsy.

READ ALSO: 5 reasons couples wear wedding rings on the 4th finger of the left hand

7. Sports challenges and advantages

In Physical Education (PE) or games like volleyball, football, or table tennis, being left-handed could either be a blessing or a curse.

Some sports positions benefited from the element of surprise for example, a left-footed striker catching defenders off guard.

But in others, left-handers had to adapt to right-handed equipment or team drills designed without them in mind.

8. Teasing and nicknames

From 'Obama junior' to 'wewe ni chopi' (you’re special), left-handed pupils often collected a range of nicknames.

While some were affectionate, others bordered on mockery. This constant attention, even if harmless, meant that left-handers rarely blended into the background everyone noticed their difference.