Maisha Mkanda is a 45-minute x 13-episode doci-series that delivers an array of topics of interest to the Kenyan market. The show is unraveled in a compelling narrative style and reveals sides to Kenya that are uplifting, heart-wrenching and at times, horrifying!

The series is produced by Africa Uncensored, a collective of investigative reporters based in Nairobi and navigates topics such as the skin-bleaching craze, widow-cleansing (the act of men copulating with recently widowed women as part of the wider culture of wife inheritance), surviving terror attacks and many more.

The premiere episode tackles the issue of widow cleansing. In parts of Kenya, widows are viewed as impure. A tradition to be cleansed to chase away demons involves having sex barely days after the death of the husband. The deceased husband’s family often forces this tradition upon the grieving widow. This story follows the experience of a woman on the brink of being cleansed and also two other widows who had to go through this ceremony and lived to tell the story.

Here are some pictures from the show:

Maisha Mkanda premieres on Sunday 5 January 2010 at 7:30 pm on DStv 158 and GOtv 4.