Synopsis

Sam Soko’s film, Softie, follows Kenyan activist Boniface “Softie” Mwangi, his wife Njeri, and their three children as Mwangi fights to organize against the corrupt legacies of colonialism that continue to shape Kenyan political realities today. The film highlights Softie’s commitment to political, social and artistic activism in Nairobi, Kenya. The political and personal intersect, as they often do, and this journey is filled with tensions that become present in Softie and Njeri’s marriage and family, the corruption in the Kenyan government, and the internalized colonialism and tribalism that Softie is to undo when he runs a clean and honest campaign against a historically corrupt governmental landscape. The film offers insight into the nearly impossible decisions a community leader turned political candidate must face when resisting injustice: confronting political violence; risking personal safety, family and country; and navigating a corrupt political terrain while remaining committed to more justice-oriented strategies.

Key Participants

• Sam Soko, Director, Producer and Cinematographer
• Toni Kamau, Producer
• Miriam Ayoo, Impact producer
• Boniface “Softie” Mwangi, photojournalist and Kenyan political activist
• Njeri Mwangi, Kenyan activist and also Softie’s wife
• Njeri and Softie’s three children
• Khadija Mohammed, Softie’s Campaign Manager

Key issues

• Colonial pasts and tribalism
• Community resistance
• Personal as political
  • Love of country and love of family
  • Sacrifice
  • Role of family in activists’ political lives
  • Relationships between country and family
• Political Corruption, Violence, and Unchecked Power
• Grassroots Political Organizing
• Strands of activism and mobilizing community