While shading the map of Kenya for musical talent, this writer was surprised to learn that despite the Luhya tribe of Western Kenya having dominated the country's music in the first two decades after independence, the Maragoli sub-tribe hardly contributed any bigwigs of the era.

All the big names from the era of "twist," a very popular genre in the 1960s and 1970s originating from what is today Vihiga County, either came from the Banyore sub-tribe in Emuhaya Constituency or from Hamisi Constituency, home to the Tiriki sub-tribe. Others came from neighboring Kakamega County. Daudi Kabaka, Shem Tube, Isaya Mwinamo, Ruben Shimbiro, John Amutabi, George Mukabi, Fànuel Amimo, and others came from either of these regions, and none from the Maragoli sub-tribe.

Although historians have pointed out that the Luhya tribe is an amalgamation of 18 tribes that previously existed as autonomous entities, each with its own dialect and customs, like many Bantu communities, they all have a rich cultural history that includes significant musical traditions. It is thus strange that, when it comes to contemporary recorded music, the Maragoli are easily identified as a musical desert.

Nonetheless, one man is determined to rewrite this narrative and place the sub-tribe on the global musical map. Although he was born in Lugari, a settlement scheme far north of Vihiga but still in Western Kenya, Freddie Akivambo Tolo is so far the most visible Maragoli musician.

"From my childhood, I wished to be nothing less than Tabuley," Akivambo Tolo, who was born in April 1968 in Lumakanda, told Jabulani Radio from his hotel room in Tororo, where he was staying for a series of performances.

He quenched his thirst for education at Lumakanda Primary and Homa Bay Secondary Schools before returning to Lumakanda to sit for his O-level exams. Armed with guitar skills, it wasn’t difficult for him to join a band when he chose to venture into music as a full-time career in 1996. He had taught himself to play the guitar while still a young boy. His father, an evangelist, was entrusted with church instruments, which remained in his custody. Young Freddie would secretly use them to teach himself how to play the guitar.

Without any teacher or guidance, he struggled and eventually mastered the chords, improving his skills over time. By the time he joined Bana Lisanga of Eldoret, he was already an accomplished guitarist who could easily switch between solo and rhythm guitar. Bana Lisanga, the Langas-based band, didn’t just accommodate the young musician and give him an opportunity to showcase his talent, but also taught him the ropes of music. Led by veteran Simon Beru, the band had notable musicians from all over the country and even some from the DRC.

After Bana Lisanga, Akivambo Tolo joined Bana Kutana, another music ensemble based in Eldoret, at a popular club known as Kutana. It was here that he mingled with Peter Dalidi, Ongoro Ja Karachuonyo, Awillo, and others, with whom he later helped establish Jamnazi Afrika.

Akivambo Tolo would go on to perform with Jamnazi for another decade. His role in this high-flying band, which featured Awillo, Ongoro, and Dalidi, was to play rhythm guitar. He also sang vocals, especially in Luhya songs, since the band performed music from all corners of the country and even from beyond, including the DRC. From Jamnazi, Akivambo Tolo, who describes laziness and overreliance on technology, i.e., computer programming for music production, as the Waterloo of creativity in Kenyan music, formed his own band, Jugodias. The name is an acronym of the band’s three founders: Julius, Godfrey, and Akivambo.

The band has performed across the country but is based at Kakamega’s Banias Club. It boasts a lineup that includes rhythm guitarist Zablon Mongare, drummer Makokha, bassists Bernard and Patrick, and singers Constance Sakwa, Marion Kevina, and Joel. So far, they have recorded at least 50 songs, some released as albums and others as singles.

Among his popular hits are "Amavere gi Kimuga," which directly translates to “the milk of a gourd,” a figurative expression celebrating the beauty of a woman from the Kalenjin community. "Betty" is a love song based on a true story, while "Umwana Inyanya" extols the magnanimity and beauty of a village woman. Akivambo regards Luseno as his biggest local icon, noting that the late leader of the Phototex Band was an accomplished musician whose path to success every aspiring artist wishes to emulate.

By Jerome Ogola

Jabulani Radio

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