By Muisyo Myles | October 21, 2025
On Obinna Show Live, Goon Z talked about his triumphs, regrets, and unapologetic takes on everything from Gen Z protests to ODM’s future. It’s a tale of survival, faith, and the hustle that never quits.
A Childhood Cut Short
Born and raised in the unforgiving neighborhood of Ololo, Swaleh’s early years were marked by the kind of hardships that forge unbreakable spirits. He kicked off his schooling at St. John’s Primary, transferring to Mukuru Primary, he navigated the chaos of a community where dreams often collided with reality.
Tragedy struck early when his parents passed away, leaving a teenage Swaleh to fend for himself. “I started going to clubs at a young age after my parents died,” he recalls. That child shaped my life and made me responsible at such a young age,” Goon Z shares. It was a pivot point, a spark of accountability amid the shadows.
To keep the lights on, he dove into the workforce. His first gig was in the sweets industry at Patco, grinding through factory shifts before chasing better prospects in Nairobi’s Industrial Area. It was honest labor, the kind that built calluses and quiet determination qualities that would later define his nickname.
From ODM Loyalist to Sonko’s Ride-or-Die
Kenya’s 2013-2014 electoral fever wasn’t just a national pulse; for Goon Z, it was a personal earthquake. Aligned with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and the veteran Reuben Ndolo, he was deep in the trenches, commanding his own crew—”Niko na kikosi changu,” as he puts it. Then Mike Sonko exploded onto the scene, a whirlwind of charisma and controversy. Sonko’s legal battles landed him in court, but he wasn’t one to back down from a rally.
“I was with ODM, with Reuben Ndolo. Sonko came, he went to court. That day he came to the rally, he swore he had to come to Kaloleni. That’s when the madimanga [bullets] started flying,” Goon Z recounts with a mix of nostalgia and adrenaline. In the chaos, Sonko spotted potential. He handed over KSh 100,000—a game-changer. “Sonko helped me a lot. We entered politics, God helped us, and Sonko won.”
That alliance catapulted Goon Z into Sonko’s orbit during his Makadara MP days, where he became a fixture in the infamous Sonko Rescue Team. The squad was equal parts muscle and loyalty, patrolling the streets and enforcing the boss’s vision. Goon Z’s moniker? It wasn’t born from thuggery but the opposite: “The name came from his passion for work and not stealing.” In a world quick to label, he carved out respect through grit. “Ukishapata dimanga na ukue honest huwa unapata tu umepanda,” he says—take a bullet, stay honest, and you’ll rise.
Crime, Conversion, and Change
No redemption arc is complete without the fall. Goon Z doesn’t sugarcoat his detour into crime. “Tulikuwa tunakutolea kisu na mapanga,” he admits bluntly on Obinna Show Live we were quick to pull knives and machetes. It was survival in a city that chews up the vulnerable. But faith intervened like a plot twist. Converting from Christianity to Islam, he adopted the name Swaleh and turned a page. “But after entering Islam, I changed a lot,” he narrates, his tone shifting from defiance to quiet conviction. It’s a transformation that echoes through his story, a bridge from street scraps to something steadier.
ODM’s Throne and 2027 Wild Cards
“It’s likely for Raymond Omollo to be the kingpin after Baba,” he predicts, nodding to the party’s shifting power dynamics. But the real intrigue? His 2027 election forecasts visions of alliances, betrayals, and the next big upset. “Find out more on Obinna Show live,” he teases, leaving viewers hooked.
