Karen Nyamu educates senators on hidden meaning of 'Aluta' club trend

The Senate was on Thursday treated to a crash course on urban slang after Senator Karen Nyamu rose to seek a statement from the Standing Committee on National Security Defense and Foreign Relations on the upsurge of a popular trend known as "aluta".

"Aluta Continua" is a Latin phrase that translates to "the struggle continues" in English.

It has been adopted as a rallying cry and motto in various social and political movements, emphasizing the ongoing fight for justice, equality, and positive change.

However, in the Kenyan urban context, it takes many meanings depending on the users.

Karen Nyamu Pulse Live Kenya

Sheng is considered a contextual language because it heavily relies on the context of the conversation and the shared experiences of the speakers.

The language incorporates words and expressions from various languages and cultures, making it unique to specific communities or social groups.

The meaning of certain Sheng terms may not be immediately clear to those outside the particular context in which they are used.

During the session, senators struggled to understand the meaning behind the term aluta, especially in the context of urban slang.

Senator Boni Khalwale said that Nyamu should explain to members and other Kenyans what the term aluta means.

She said that the phenomenon involved the consumption of alcohol or partying and clubbing on a continuous mode.

“If I got you correctly Senator Karen, aluta means non-stop partying? Can that sum up the very long statement you are giving us? Is it a concept?” Speaker Amason Kingi also questioned.

The senator however explained that there is a difference between non-stop partying and aluta.

She said in the popular trend, the revellers usually enter clubs on Friday and remain in the premises until Sunday or Monday morning.

Nyamu also volunteered to give the speaker a tour of the said clubs, but he declined.

“As other people are going to church on Sunday morning, you will see another different type of church and when they are drunk they will break into gospel songs and the DJ will lead them into a mock service,” she said.

People clubbing Pulse Live Kenya

The senator went to to say that many young Kenyans could be exposed to alcohol abuse in that kind of club setting.

Karen Nyamu also requested a comprehensive statistics on licensed nightclubs bars, and measures put in place by the government to ensure strict adherence to the legally prescribed hours for the sale of alcoholic drinks.