MAKMENDE (Mek ma nday)

Makmende is a fictional Kenyan superhero character which has enjoyed a popular resurgence after an adoptation by Kenya's musical group Just A Band in the music video for their song Ha-He on their second album, 82 (2009). The video became the first viral internet sensation in Kenya.

The word Makmende is a sheng (Swahili slang) word which means "a hero". The name supposedly originated from a mispronunciation of Clint Eastwood's phrase "Go ahead, make my day" (Mek ma nday) from his 1983 movie Sudden Impact. The word made it's way into Kenyan streets in the 1990s whereby the streets bad guy wannabe would be called out and asked "Who do you think you are? Makmende?". Anyone who thought they could do the impossible or a particularly difficult task was always asked whether they thought they were Makmende since only Makmende could do or attempt to do the impossible. The character Makmende is associated with the fashion wear of the early 1980s. He is portrayed with long John Shaft like afro hair and a bell bottomed trouser that were the trend then.

A video, directed by Jim Chuchu and Mbithi Masya, became a viral internet sensation and Kenyans launched an internet campaign for the "superhero" on Facebook, Twitter and other social media. The videos references blaxploitation and kung-fu movies in its style and features Makmende fighting with a variety of humorously named characters in a fictional city. The success of this video and the subsequent internet discussion has centered around the ways in which Kenyans were adopting social media. The cover graphic of the video has a black and white monotone portrait picture of Makmende placing a red head band across his forehead with the words MAKMENDE AMERUDI which is Kiswahili for MAKMENDE IS BACK. The role of Makmende on the video was played by graphics designer Kevin Maina, who had little previous acting experience.

The Makmende website has been one of the most visited by Kenyan Internet users, and has the fastest growing fan base on Facebook and Twitter. The Makmende story has also featured on CNN and was presented by CNN's David McKenzie. Makmende has also featured on articles in popular Kenyan media.