From robbers to art lovers: A story of crime, guilt and finding self

Brandon Mukanda is a reformed robber saved by the allure of art.

The young man fondly referred to as Champe notes he dropped out of Lake View primary school in 2014 and decided to pursue boxing, a sport he loved at the time.

“I learnt boxing in the community gym and decided to leave school to fully pursue it. However, as time went by I weaponized the skills I learnt for self-defense and turned myself into a criminal,” the father of one narrates.

He continues, “After leaving school I moved out of home and had to fend for myself, since boxing did not bring in money at the time. I ended up mugging people coming to tour the park, especially those on foot along the park fence.”

Brandon notes that it became worse when he started doing it with a group of boys from the estate, mentioning that no one could stay with something they took interest in.

As fate would have it, after being involved in criminal activities for more than four years, Brandon was arrested and linked to a robbery in the estate.

Recalling the ordeal, Brandon says, “I was arrested for a crime I had not done. My case was that of birds of the same feather flocking together. The robbery happened on Saturday evening in the estate but I was at a local club at that time.”

Since his crew had participated in the robbery, Brandon found himself rounded up with the other men

Brandon says this is how he ended up in remand in 2019. He stayed there for three years before his release in 2022 when he was proven innocent against his charges on robbery.

According to the 26-year-old, although the stay in remand was met with hardship, he is fortunate that it happened.

He says he learnt different religions including Islam, which positively changed his view of life.

As for Richard Wanga his life script is almost the same as Champe's.

However, he says he was never arrested. Wanga notes that before turning his life around, he had mugged over 50 individuals.

He narrates how he could not take a walk from his home in Lake View to town because he lived in fear that karma would catch up with him one day and he too would be robbed.

“I always did this under the influence of drugs, mostly alcohol.”

Just like Brandon, Wanga too dropped out of school and moved out of home at a very young age and joined the estate boys. It was the need to find rent and money for upkeep that made him turn to crime.

The 25-year-old, is however quick to note that his last act of mugging made him want to change his ways.

“I wanted to steal someone's phone and he fought back. I ended up cutting his hand with a machete inflicting serious injuries and I run away with his phone. However, I could not bear the guilt of my action and I sat myself down reflecting on the harm I had caused to people.

While finding their way to a safe future that was free from police chase and constant hiding the two met Barbushe Maina, the founder of Urukan creative hub in Lakeview.

It was then that he sold the idea of art as a new way of life.

According to Barbushe he had always seen them in community doing what they were doing and would talk to them to change.

“It was only two years after Brandon’s release from remand that he agreed to join Urukan and exploit the opportunities in art in helping him rebuild his life. Alongside his colleague Wanga they will be giving village walks to visitors who want to learn more about communities around Lake View,” says Barbushe

To him the, vision is to have the two inspire more boys and girls in community out of crime and have them leverage opportunities in art and earn their livelihood from it.

“Additionally, we are fast tracking their training as drummers since Urukan already has received an invite from the International Council of Organizations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Arts (CIOFF) to Czech Republic in August 2025 for the Folklore festivals. We hope they will get to participate and pick new experiences on their tour,” Barbushe reveals.