Shiraz Murray  is a friendly, talkative and a very emotional poet and also happens to be manager operations of Open Mic Uganda.

What words can be used to best describe you?

Friendly, talkative and soft. Very Emotional too.

What would describe as a moment that molded you to what you are today?

I believe that every single moment in my life contributed to me, who I am, the painful moments, the happy moments, I cant single out one, I’d be deceitful.

What do you do to earn a living?

 I make sure I don’t die at night, first. I ask God to not let me. I do  a lot, I am a  multi tasker.i know that word isn’t in the dictionary but am sure you understand what I mean, I mean am a poet, I love making. Consider that my making. Back to the question,  I dj rock music, I’ve bartended in a couple places. I love being behind the bar, it just feels right. but its not what really keeps me floating, I also work with kids at the refugee center.

Why poetry?

Simple. Poetry is Life itself, so I guess I am just living life.

Is there hope for people to make a living from poetry in Uganda, if so, how?

There’s a lot of hope, its life as I said. People just need to learn to appreciate life, their lives, to be able to share their thoughts, their experiences, their emotions with strangers, people they’ve never met,. and be able to feel good about it. lot of people have already started doing it,at the Open Mic Uganda Platform, and other poetry platforms. Five to for years ago,no one read out poetry to a listening crowd, but now they do. I do.

What’s your daily routine?

I hate routines, so don’t have one. Each day comes different, and I like it that way, I don’t think am ever going to change that either. God help me I don’t.

Say you were the president of Uganda, what would you change and why?

I would cut that KCC Boss’s salary to 5-4million a month, on a serious note. and I would take the other 43 to the drowning slums of Bwaise and Katwe. Because I think that’s wasting tax payer’s money on somebody that just signs documents, I mean, The president of the United States, doesn’t earn that money in cash monthly, yes it might amount in expenses and whatever even more, but this is Uganda for god’s sake, what bills is she paying?

Second, I would penalize the corrupt officials in front of mass crowds or even rally’s. thinking of getting them walloped or banished, that’s if the president has the right to do that, I guess he does? This can scare all the aspiring government officials, cause I actually learned that they teach their sons and daughters how to do this, to be corrupt, but am sure if you do that, they’ll look the other way.

What’s your favorite quote?

“What a frightening thing is a human being, of mass of gages, dials and registers, and we can read only a few, and those perhaps not accurately”

“Most people die with their music still in them, often because they are still getting ready to live, before they know it, time runs out”.

Where do you envision yourself in five years?

I’ll be published poet, or I would have completed my book, a novel. Am also thinking of going somewhere far from here, to make a change, somewhere strange & I love traveling.

Any final remarks?

I just thank you for what your doing, its great to have something like this, and keep it up. and continue to support word as they come. One Love.

READ HIS POEM,BLACKNESS

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