A woman should not get married simply because society wants her to, or because she has reached what is considered the “right age” for marriage. “Mbona watoto wa nyuma yako wameolewa, wamekuwacha ukihangaika?” (How come your younger siblings are all getting married before you?)

Apparently, those who dropped out of school to start families are viewed as achievers in this context, while she who worked hard in class and even pursued further education abroad becomes a subject of ridicule. If Kabaka were alive, maybe we would ask him to take this wonderful song back to the studio, revise the lyrics, and align them with present-day realities. Otherwise, a contemporary mind would advise “msichana wa sura nzuri” to only get married when she is convinced it is the right decision for her, and not because anyone expects her to.

Again, discussants in a marriage discourse rarely agree on every detail. Whereas marriage has worked perfectly well for some, for others, it does not. As such, there has never been a consensus on matters of marriage, thus providing yet another angle from which to approach the debate. The above excerpt is an opinion this writer gave in response to an online debate about “Msichana wa Elimu.” In yet another debate on the song “Bachelor Boy,” he wrote this:

“A popular tale chides struggling young men, noting that while other old men were seriously prospecting for wealth in the city and acquiring plots, their grandfather was busy twisting his legs to the dance craze of the day, popularly known as twist. To me, this claim seems to point an accusing finger at Kabaka’s song ‘Bachelor Boy,’ and specifically his clarion call: ‘Bachelor boy wenzangu, twisty, twisty.’ This song also reveals another side of Kabaka. It seems he expected the ‘msichana wa elimu’ to get married before she grew too old, while he himself could not marry because ‘mimi siwezi kuwacha raha za mjini.’ Isn’t this an advocacy for recklessness? A masculine society, so rigid toward the girl child, yet very willing to bend and accommodate the excesses of the boy child.”

These two anecdotes showcase how the musician Daudi Kabaka managed to set the agenda by composing songs that would inform national debates in online forums many decades after his death. Kabaka was a social critic who used his music to address matters central to society’s moral fiber, and that is what earned him the moniker “Mtoboa Siri.” That was not his only moniker; he was also referred to as the King of Twisty.

His rise to this throne is attributed to his immense contribution to the genre, which had evolved at Equator Records, owned by Charles Worrod in Nairobi. That he was the King of Twisty is not debatable. It is so certain. He excelled in the era of the music genre coined by Charles Worrod, the English producer regarded as the father of the genre, who also owned Equator Sounds, a band housed under Equator Records in Nairobi.

Equator Sounds was established in 1960 when Charles Worrod bought East African Records and Jambo Sounds, then amalgamated and rebranded them into Equator Records. This recording house had a band known as Equator Sounds, having rebranded from Jambo Sounds. It was one of the pioneer bands in the country and featured the services of talented musicians such as Daudi Kabaka himself, Nashil Pichen, Fadhili Williams, Peter Tsotsi, George Agade, Bernard Ayuya, among others. All these were fully professional musicians.

Charles, a Briton, came to Kenya from South Africa. It is from the Zulu dance “kwela” that he borrowed elements, blending them with an American twist and also incorporating aspects of East African music to come up with a very popular genre known as twisty. Having been a central pillar in both the studio and the band, Kabaka assumed the kingship of Twisty. He made several very popular recordings during this era and also played guitar in many other songs within the genre. He played solo guitar in “Angelike Twist” by John Nzenze, among many others, and also mentored him in guitar playing.

Some of the most well-known songs, like “Bachelor Boy,” are his compositions, recorded by Equator Sounds. Others include “Kazi Ngumu,” “Mie Kabaka,” “Safari ya Nigeria,” “Amlofa,” “Kilio Ng’ambo Kwetu,” and “Safari ya Tabora,” among many others. Worth noting is that he also recorded some of these songs in rumba versions. Twisty became a very popular genre among urban sophisticates in the 1960s, making Kabaka a superstar and a household name. Other notable names in the genre included John Nzenze (also known as Amutabi), Isaya Mwinamo, Reuben Shimbiro, and George Mukabi, among others. Equator also enjoyed an elaborate distribution network across the region; thus, all the songs under its label enjoyed popularity beyond Kenyan borders.

While researching Ochieng Kabasele’s memoirs, the pivotal role Kabaka played in the country’s music scene became evident. One evening, Kabaka was passing by Jericho and noticed some young men practicing. He stopped and became interested upon noting how good they were. Their leader was a 17-year-old Ochieng Kabasele, a Form Three student at Pumwani Secondary School. Kabaka took the young man to Equator Records, and that is how Kabasele’s first four songs—“Naftali,” “Nyak Konge,” “Lek,” and “GK”—were recorded.

Among the musicians who participated in the recordings was Kabaka himself, who played solo guitar. Gabriel Omollo, who later worked with Apollo Komesha, played bass, according to Babu Kabasele. Kabaka’s role in the evolution of Kenyan music was so significant that some consider him the father of Kenyan music. Songs like “Harambee Harambee,” the country’s unofficial independence anthem, were his compositions, as were other iconic songs like “Msichana wa Elimu,” which opened a can of worms with speculation that Kabaka may have had a specific person in mind while composing it.

Kabaka’s team at Equator Sounds would later become big names in their own right. Thus, dozens of the country’s pioneer musicians were, in one way or another, linked to him. Daudi Kabaka was born in Uganda in 1939. However, he relocated to Nairobi at a young age with his father, who worked for the East African Railways. He was named Daudi Kabaka after a Baganda king who had died that same year. He joined Equator Records, then known as Jambo Records, in 1959. His death in 2001, at the age of 62, brought the curtain down on the illustrious career of one of the most impactful musicians in the country.

By Jerome Ogola

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“Dear fans of Salif Keita, It is with deep regret that we announce the cancellation of his concert scheduled for this weekend in South Africa due to an unexpected medical emergency. Salif Keita’s health is our top priority. He is currently receiving care and taking time to rest and recover. We sincerely appreciate your understanding, patience, and continued support during this time.

Salif Keita wants to reassure his fans that he looks forward to returning to South Africa and will be back as soon as he has fully recovered.” Sources intimated to Jabulani that the 75-year-old Malian superstar is currently recuperating after undergoing an unspecified medical procedure. It is remembered that in February this year, he missed the Sauti za Busara in Zanzibar owing to what the organisers referred to as health complications.

Keita, also known as the “Golden Voice of Africa,” is a revered music icon across the continent. He was born into a royal family and with albinism, but shrugged off ostracism to pursue his ambitions and become a global star. A pioneer of Afropop, he successfully blends American pop with West African folk influences.

By Jerome Ogola

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As much as the emergence and dominance of the neighbouring Alego in matters academic is attributed to the strictness of a colonial chief by the name Odera Kang'o, who cracked a whip on locals to take their children to school, it is difficult to pinpoint one factor that can be considered significant in the region's success in music.

It is from Kathomo in Gem that Eliakim Rogo, a new sensation in slow Luo music, was born some four decades ago. Eliakim, who draws inspiration from the late Ochieng’ Kabasele of Lunna Kidi, has recorded several albums comprising slow-tempo love ballads and sentimental recordings that mirror the works of some Congolese greats of the past decades.

His songs are in a class of their own. Some of the popular ones include "Caro Nyathii Jobondo." This is a love song dedicated to a spouse, whom he poetically refers to as "Nyar Kaocha," which means daughter of my in-laws.

"David Bondo" is a song in tribute to renowned Radio Ramogi presenter David Bondo, while "Jerome Ogola" is a song he composed in tribute to yours truly, the author of this article, whose contribution to the growth and development of music in this region he recognises and lauds in the song. The song “David Bondo” has a saxophone run from the beginning to the end, an arrangement unique to a few songs, as is the case in "Ndaya," a composition of Mayaula Mayoni, which features female singer Mpongo Love on vocals. The sax in “Ndaya” is done by Empopo Loway.

"Mapenzi Ya Pesa," yet another of his hit songs, is themed on love. The song retains his trademark tempo with exhilarating guitars by one of Kenya's most talented guitarists, Ramji Solo, who also doubles as the producer. Ramji plays his guitar like the legendary Burkina Faso of Wenge Musica. Other songs like "Osiepa" and "Safari Ya Mapenzi" are equally good and popular with listeners, if the responses by vernacular radio stations are anything to go by.

Papa Eliakim, as his stage name goes, is a late entrant in music, having chosen teaching as a career before finally being unable to resist the nagging allure to join music. Having grown up in Kisumu, a lakeside town known for its vibrant music industry and colourful nightlife with numerous joints featuring live bands, he grew up with an interest in music naturally inoculated in him.

The first-born among six siblings began his educational journey at Manyatta Primary School before joining Nyamasaria Secondary, where he sat his O-levels, before travelling to Dar es Salaam and enrolling at Aga Khan University for a bachelor's degree in Education.

Just like Dr. Nico Kasanda Wa Mikalayi, who veered off into music after beginning a career as a technical school teacher in Kintambo, and Ntesa Dalienst, who quit the classroom for the microphone, Eliakim taught Kiswahili and Geography at high school before quitting to pursue music as a full-time professional musician.

Eliakim, whose type of music has earned him a soft spot in the hearts of many music fans, holds liberal views on religion despite beginning as a gospel artist before switching to secular. In a conversation with this writer on the advantages of secular over gospel music, the musician, who lost his wife to illness last year, emphasised that the gospel industry is more saturated than the secular one.

Apart from his ability to create melodious compositions, Eliakim is also a gifted singer with a baritone that aptly captures emotions in his songs. The blending of Lingala and Swahili phrases in songs largely done in Dholuo rekindles the days of Ochieng’ Kabasele, who switched between the three languages with so much ease.

Older fans who enjoyed music by Ochieng’ Kabasele naturally find a successor in him. Eliakim performs in clubs and private functions both in Kisumu and Nairobi. With fans switching allegiance in preference for slower Luo Rumba, Eliakim is easily a force to reckon with in the current music industry.

By Jerome Ogola

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Kujibandika madaraka sio yako bwana wewe
[You hang other people's titles on yourself]

Kama wewe ungenipenda, kwanini kunidanganya bwana wee
[If you had loved me truly, why would you lie to me]

Kujibandika madaraka sio yako bwana wewe
[You hang on other people's titles]

Nimesikia tetesi kuwa huna lolote hata kazi huna wee
[I heard talk that you have nothing, not even a job]

Unazurura mchana kutwa ehh, ukita kurandaranda mitaani eeh
[You wander around the whole day, up and down the streets]
Nimesikia tetesi kuwa huna lolote hata kazi huna wee

Unazurura mchana kutwa ehh, ukita kurandaranda mitaani eeh
[I heard talk that you have nothing, not even a job]

Kumbe hukuwa na uwezo wa kunioa ila kuniharibia maisha
[Apparently, you did not have the ability to marry me but to destroy my life]

Heri kuniambia ukweli ulivyo kuliko kunidanganya wee
[Better to be honest about your situation than to lie]

Nikuelewe vipi ehh, babu we, uaminifu wako uko wapi eh, baba
[How can I understand you, grown-up man, where is your honesty]

Nikuelewe vipi ehh, babu we, uaminifu wako uko wapi eh, baba
[How can I understand you, grown-up man, where is your honesty]

[Instrumental] Aah karubandika

Nikuelewe vipi ehh, babu we, uaminifu wako uko wapi eh baba
[How can I understand you, grown-up man, where is your honesty?]
Nikuelewe vipi ehh, babu we, uaminifu wako uko wapi eh baba
[How can I understand you, grown-up man, where is your honesty]

[Chorus]

Usinione bwege baba
[Don't think I am naive, my dear]

Usinione bwege baba
[Don't think I am naive, my dear]

Kwa kukubali wito wako karubandika ehh
[For accepting your advances, Karubandika]

Haya yote ni matatizo yangu ni ya baa baa (??)
[These are all my problems, at the bar]

Nilitaka kujitumbukiza ndani ya moto miye/pole
[I was thinking of throwing myself into the fire]
Kumbe bwana yule hana kitanda wala shuka
[Realizing that man did not have a bed nor a sheet]

Pakulala hana, analala kwenye stendi ya basi
[He has nowhere to sleep, so he sleeps at the bus station]
Pakulala hana, anakesha kwenye kituo cha kuunda
[Has nowhere to sleep, stays overnight at the construction centre]

karubandika yoyo, acha vituko we bwana
[Karubandika, my dear, stop these comedies, man]

Chorus

Nilitaka kujitumbukiza ndani ya moto miye/pole
[I was thinking of throwing myself into the fire]

Kumbe bwana yule hana kitanda wala shuka
[Realizing that man did not have a bed nor a sheet]

Pakulala hana, analala kwenye stendi ya basi
[He has nowhere to sleep, so he sleeps at the bus station]

Pakulala hana, anakesha kwenye kituo cha kuunda
[Has nowhere to sleep, stays overnight at the construction centre]

karubandika yoyo, acha vituko we bwana
[Karubandika, my dear, stop these comedies, man]

Chorus

Akiingia kwenye bar, kazi yake kuomba bia
[When he enters the bar, he is busy borrowing beer]
Akiingia kwenye bar, kazi yake kuomba bia
[When he enters the bar, he is busy borrowing beer]

Hana hata aibu, sigara pia anaomba
[He has no shame; he borrows even cigarettes]

Mitaani na kwenye mastoo kujitangazia kuwa yeye
[Across the streets and stores announcing that he]

ni mkurugenzi wa kampuni fulani, kumbe sivyo hivyo
[is the CEO of a certain company, yet it is not the case]

Chorus

[Instrumental] ~ marechal marechal, pasi ka kobanga..leta ngoma

Ze ze zenguela

[Instrumental]

By PAPA JUMA

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Her father, Franco, one of the most influential African musicians, died in 1989 and was buried at the same Gombe Cemetery. His band TP OK Jazz was one of the largest in terms of personnel and produced a vast discography of around 3,000 songs, according to an estimate by his longtime saxophonist Isaac Musekiwa. According to a programme released by Rudy Luambo, a vigil will be held on Friday, March 20, 2026, beginning at 6:00 p.m. and continuing until dawn at Franco’s club, the Un-Deux-Trois building, located along Gambela Avenue in Kasa-Vubu, near the Stade des Martyrs. On Saturday, March 21, 2026, the body will be removed from the morgue of the Cinquantenaire Hospital at 9:30 a.m. and taken to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame du Congo, where it is expected to arrive at 11:00 a.m. A requiem mass will begin at 12:00 noon, after which the funeral procession will proceed to Gombe Cemetery for burial at 2:00 p.m. Thereafter, friends and family will again gather at Un, Deux, Trois.

Meanwhile, Jabulani Radio dedicated yesterday’s edition of the Rumba Fiesta programme to the memory of Marie Hélène. The special broadcast will be repeated on Saturday at 5:00 p.m.

By Jerome Ogola

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“Dino Vangu changed the style of Afrisa International when he took over from Dizzy Mandjeku,” Faugus Izeidi once opined. Faugus, a younger brother of Roger Izeidi, was himself a star mi-solo guitarist with the same band but quit years earlier to create his own band, Fiesta Populaire.

What makes a solo guitarist such a star member that some bands only pay solo guitarists, while others pay them more than any other ordinary members? Isn't music a collective effort? As such, is fame not supposed to spread fairly to all members?

Rumba music is a technical genre that runs on guitars. Of the three—bass, rhythm, and solo guitar—it is the solo that tracks the melody of the song, making it more noticeable, although this may not necessarily mean it is the most important. This means it is the lead instrument, while the rhythm guitar remains the most foundational. This is important in the sense that if one instrument fails to work and the band has no choice but to proceed crippled, they will use the instrument as a rhythm guitar and do away with the solo guitar.

Bill Alexandre, the proprietor of CEFA Studios in Kinshasa (then known as Léopoldville) established in 1955, is the person who introduced the electric guitar to Congolese music. Despite having the acoustic guitar and some other instruments like the bulky contrabass, the electric guitar henceforth became the engine of Congolese Rumba, with other instruments being relegated to mere spices or additional sweeteners.

A rhythm guitar is the oldest element in any song. In most cases, it is the very first, in the sense that it is used while the song is being composed. Composition in this context means the creation of the melody. However, the song only wears the complete face of a song once it has been given a solo guitar.

This unique aspect makes the solo guitarist a star in any band’s lineup. It is also worth noting that every solo guitarist is able to play rhythm guitar, but not every rhythm guitarist can play solo. In the path of learning, every trainee begins by learning the chords; rhythm guitar is acquired by striking patterns repeatedly, while for solo, the player roams the fretboard to follow the melody.

This means that in performances, the most vigorous guitarist whose hands roam the entire fretboard is the soloist. It also happens that most musicians who sing and play guitar are solo guitarists and not rhythmists. This does not mean all, but a few examples at hand include Mbaraka Mwinshehe, the soloist par excellence.

While Charles Ray Kasembe played rhythm and was less known, Mbaraka played solo and was the star personality in the Super Volcano band. Of course, this was for some other reasons as well. Mopero Wa Maloba of the Shama Shama fame also played solo while singing, and this made him the star of the Cavacha band, whose leadership he shared with Dona Mobeti before quitting to create his own.

Franco Luambo Luanzo Makiadi of OK Jazz began as a guitarist but could also sing. He was to become the band’s most recognized singer when he took to the microphone. Despite being the bandleader and the face of OK Jazz, he was still the most recognized member, of course, owing to some other reasons and the reality that he was the star solo guitarist.

The band’s other solo guitarists—Moses Fanfan, Mavatiku Visi (also known as Michelino), Papa Noel, Thierry Mantuika, and Gerry Dialungana—also got their fair share of fame, quantitatively more prominent than the rhythmists among them: Simaro Lutumba, Gege Mangaya, Petit Pierre, Armando Mwango Brazzos (who played the contrabass), and Ya Makoso Kindudi.

Having made a name as a master composer, doing philosophical songs delivered in figurative language, and having served long as Franco’s deputy, made Simaro (also known as Le Poète) more known than his rhythm peers. But still, in concerts, the solo guitarists always gobbled more limelight than him.

The same can be said of the Kalekezi duo, also known as the Kinyonga, of Simba Wanyika fame. Wilson, the eldest and the founder of Arusha Jazz, began as a little-known rhythmist for Jamhuri Jazz. He brought his brother into the fold, and when he left, he tagged along his younger brother, George Peter, who began as a bassist. Both were later to become solo guitarists and star attractions in Simba Wanyika, where they played interchangeably in the solo guitar role. They were the band’s most recognized members, more so than the rhythmists among them, including Omar Shaban and others.

In comparison, bands led by instrumentalists are more often led by solo guitarists than by players of any other instrument. Others like Tabu Ley and Nyboma were primarily singers, while others like Verckys of Veve, Kalombo Mwanza of Orchestra Basanga, Viva Makale, and Lola Shango of Boma Liwanza were saxophonists. Most, however—Franco, Bavon, Johny Bokelo, Mbaraka, Wilson Peter, and Habel Kifoto, among others—were solo guitarists.

Some rhythmists convert to solo upon becoming bandleaders. A classic example of this was Les Wanyika’s Ngereza Johnny. While a musician with Orchestra Bwambe Bwambe, he played rhythm and did it remarkably well. However, upon shifting camp to Les Wanyika, whose leadership he wrestled from Omari Shaban, he became a solo guitarist and a vocalist.

That the solo guitar is always the lead instrument in Rumba makes the player the most suitable lead singer because the roles interchange. When the vocals come up, the solo guitar, which takes the melody of the song, goes quiet. However, some rhythmists have also made names as top vocalists, as have other instrumentalists.

Yet again, some solo guitarists chose to remain just that, without venturing beyond. Examples include Dally Kimoko, Caien Madoka, Général Mandoza, Beniko Popolipo, and many others. Rhythmists who head bands include Vata Mombassa, Simaro Lutumba, and Bopol Mansiamina, among others.

Maybe fairly or unfairly, solo guitarists have always attracted more attention than any other instrumentalists in a band.

By Jerome Ogola

Jabulani Radio

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Okangi motema kaka mbala moko
(you have closed your heart for my love at once)
Obendi nzoto, po omonaki ye
(you disengaged yourself from our love just because you saw him)
Connaissance ya pamba oyo yo Pepe
(this is free knowledge to you Pepe)
Nga namemi nde ngambo lelo
(I am in trouble today)

Motema na ngai napesa na yo
(I gave you my heart)
Zongisela ata liloba nayoka nzoto
(reply / answer me back so that I can feel good)
Oooooh! Pepe yo! yo! Pepe eeeeh!
(Oooooh! Pepe yo! yo! Pepe eeeeh!)

Yoooo! yoooo! yoooo! yo! Pepe
(Yoooo! yoooo! yoooo! yo! Pepe)
Nayembi po oyoka
(I've sung so that you can hear how I feel)
Yoooo! yoooo! yoooo! leki ya Lolo
(Yoooo! yoooo! yoooo! You Lolo's younger brother)
Yokela nga mawa
(please have mercy on me)

Yoooo! yoooo! yoooo! yo! Pepe
(Yoooo! yoooo! yoooo! yo! Pepe)
Nayembi po oyoka
(I've sung so that you can hear how I feel)
Yoooo! yoooo! yoooo! yo! leki ya Lolo
(Yoooo! yoooo! yoooo! You Lolo's younger brother)
Limbisa nga
(please forgive me)

Okangi motema kaka mbala moko
(you have closed your heart for my love at once)
Obendi nzoto, po omonaki ye
(you disengaged yourself from our love just because you saw him)
Connaissance ya pamba oyo yo Pepe
(this is free knowledge to you Pepe)
Nga namemi nde ngambo lelo
(I am in trouble today)

Motema na ngai napesa na yo
(I gave you my heart)
Zongisela ata liloba nayoka nzoto
(reply / answer me back so that I can feel good)
Oooooh! Pepe yo! yo! Pepe eeeeh!
(Oooooh! Pepe yo! yo! Pepe eeeeh!)

Yoooo! yoooo! yoooo! yo! Pepe
(Yoooo! yoooo! yoooo! yo! Pepe)
Nayembi po oyoka
(I've sung so that you can hear how I feel)
Yoooo! yoooo! yoooo! leki ya Lolo
(Yoooo! yoooo! yoooo! You Lolo's younger brother)
Yokela nga mawa
(please have mercy on me)

Yoooo! yoooo! yoooo! yo! Pepe
(Yoooo! yoooo! yoooo! yo! Pepe)
Nayembi po oyoka
(I've sung so that you can hear how I feel)
Yoooo! yoooo! yoooo! yo! leki ya Lolo
(Yoooo! yoooo! yoooo! You Lolo's younger brother)
Limbisa ngaaaa
(please forgive me)

Refrain...X2
*****

Aeee mwana ya moto, nasengi pardon....boyoka
(I am someone's child, I've apologized..... please listen to me)
Mwana ya moto eh! ngo Pepe
(I am also someone's child, eh Pepe!)

Likambo ezuwaka nzete te kaka moto aeee mama...bo jugez oh
(a problem never torments a tree, a problem is created to torment human beings.... you can judge me oh)
Mwana ya moto eh! ngo Pepe
(I am someone's child also eh Pepe!)

Ngai naboya kosamba nayina kosamba nabondela yo eh..Pepe na ngai
(I don't like to plead, I hate to plead please I beg you eh, My Pepe)
Mwana ya moto eh! ngo Pepe
(I am also someone's child, eh Pepe!)

Aeee motema ya moto eh! elingi nango...Pepe
(someone's heart loves only.....Pepe)
Mwana ya moto eh! ngo Pepe
(I am also someone's child, eh Pepe!)

By James Angana

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The proprietor of Studio Sawa, situated at Munyu road, died on 19th February in a Nairobi hospital, according to a post by his son Lee Kanyottu.

Babu, who was born in 1945, studied sound production at VOK in 1966 and recorded a galaxy of stars in his studios. Among the notable names are Les Wanyika, Kakai Kilonzo, Joseph Kamaru, and Ochieng Kabasele, among many others.

"He was the pillar of our family and a true legend of the Kenyan music industry. From founding Studio Sawa Sound, a pioneer record label that was a platform to many iconic voices, to mentoring generations of broadcasters and sound engineers at KIMC and VOK/KBC, and his leadership at MCSK and KAMP, Dad leaves behind a legacy that will never be forgotten." 
Lee noted in the post. 

He has been survived by his wife, Mary Wangeci, and four children.

By Jerome Ogola

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“Malaika” is easily the most popular Kiswahili song. Not only that, it is also East Africa’s most successful song in terms of the number of cover versions recorded, and by far the most recognizable composition from the region. Yet even without it, Fadhili would still soar high in the skies of popularity, buoyed by the successes of other classics such as “Taxi Driver.”

That alone would not be enough to define Fadhili. He was among the indigenous pioneer professional musicians in Kenya when he became part of Jambo Sounds, the house band at Jambo Records in the mid-1950s. Jambo Sounds later mutated into Equator Sounds after the record company was sold to Charles Worrod, a Briton of South African origin who is credited with popularizing the Twist genre that became extremely fashionable among urban youth in the 1960s.

Among this pioneer batch of musicians, further trained by Worrod himself and incorporated into the band, were Daudi Kabaka and Gabriel Omolo from Kenya, Nashil Pichen and Peter Tsotsi from Zambia, and Charles Ssonko, among others. Together, they formed a formidable nucleus that shaped the sound of modern East African popular music.

“Harambee Harambee,” “Helule Helule,” and “Taxi Driver” are just a few of the songs Equator Sounds recorded that set the pace for a vibrant music industry in the 1960s. During this period, Nairobi attracted an array of musicians from across the region. Being a dependable lead guitarist in such a competitive environment was no mean feat, and this secures an important segment of the region’s hall of fame for Fadhili.

As mentioned earlier, the authorship of “Malaika” has for decades been disputed, with several names floated as possible composers. Among them are Tanzanian musician Adam Salim, South African icon Miriam Makeba, and even flamboyant Kenyan trade unionist and politician Tom Mboya. Nonetheless, it remains a fact that Fadhili Williams is the uncontested legal owner of the song, having been the first to record it.

That is not all. He was also among the very first indigenous musicians in the region to gain fluency and technical mastery in playing the electric guitar, at a time when the instrument was still novel and scarce in East Africa.

Ironically, had Fadhili’s childhood wishes come true, the world might never have heard “Taxi Driver,” “Malaika,” or any of his celebrated songs. Despite being born into a musical family—his father a traditional musician and his mother equally involved in music—he initially did not intend to pursue music as a career.

Upon completing his secondary education at the famous Shimo La Tewa Secondary School, Fadhili aspired to be employed either as a police officer or by the then-lucrative East African Railways. He even sent applications for these positions, but none yielded a positive response. His mother, however, was hesitant about those ambitions and strongly desired that her son pursue music instead. She bought him an acoustic Gallotone guitar for 90 shillings, a considerable sum at the time.

According to the Presidential Music Commission’s biography of Fadhili, his father had died while he was still young, prompting his mother to relocate to Nairobi to fend for the family. His maiden engagement as a musician came with the Chem Chem Kids band, which specialized in performing at weddings and other neighborhood events. He also recorded with the African Mercantile Company, an opportunity that enabled him to perform outside Kenya, including in Uganda, at a relatively young age.

In 1955, the young Fadhili was spotted by East African Records, where he made his very first recordings. Being a versatile and talented musician capable of playing several instruments opened floodgates of opportunity for him. His engagements with the company also earned him a position as a talent scout.

However, it was during his time with Jambo Sounds that he truly made a name for himself. It was with this band that he recorded “Malaika,” “Taxi Driver,” and many other songs. Although the authorship of “Malaika” remains disputed, he consistently maintained that he wrote the song, claiming he composed it for a lady he fell in love with while still in school.

He also acknowledged having earned millions of shillings in royalties from the song. While “Taxi Driver” was not as commercially successful as “Malaika,” it nonetheless remains one of Kenya’s most iconic songs. According to Fadhili himself, “Taxi Driver” was based on a true story. He composed the song for his first love, Rosemary, who lived in Nakuru. He later married her, and the couple had six children. He subsequently married two other women and had several more children.

Born Fadhili Mdawida Williams in Taita on November 11, 1938, the “Taxi Driver” superstar’s health began to decline in 2000, and he died a year later. His works continue to inspire many to venture into music. He remains one of the region’s most decorated and influential musicians.

By Jerome Ogola

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ADIA BY OLIVER N'GOMA

Chérie
Vumissio wa murim'agu
Ni skia mune
Oh Adia
Murim'ami n'agu u li
Oh n'agu buandi
(Oh-oh-oh-oh)

Darling
I miss you so much
I can hear you
Oh Adia
You’re all I have
Oh my love
(Oh-oh-oh-oh)

Nge ni va tsole
Ndzile ine
Ndzile i gulu
A ngeyu
Mognu'ami
Bébé, eh
Tu es à moi
Je suis à toi
Pour la vie
Florence

When you come around
I feel alive
I feel so high
Oh my love
My darling
Baby, hey
You're mine
And I'm yours
For eternity
Florence

Ngambo bi biva u si
Murime ndzungu
Oh chérie
Ngambo yetu kue tu li
Mo murim'agu
(Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah)
Murime ufitse
Suze otima

Our love is unbreakable
You make me feel good
Oh darling
Our love is meant to be
With you, my dear
(Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah)
You make me complete
You light up my heart

We ma abaraga
Mognu'ami
A ngeyu
Nge buandi
U li mo
Murim'ami
Bébé
Ndzile ine
Ndzile i gulu
A ngeyu

You’re all I have
My darling
Oh my love
You’re my heart
You’re all I have
My darling
Baby
I feel alive
I feel so high
Oh my love

Mognu'ami
Bébé
Tu es à moi
Je suis à toi
Pour la vie
Ah yo yo yo
Bi uva lile Adia
Duniru duami
Ni va lile Bébé

My darling
Baby
You're mine
I'm yours
For life
Ah yo yo yo
I miss you so much, Adia
You’re all I have in this world
I miss you, baby

Duniru a duagu
Guagu veke Adia
Chérie ah-eh
Ngulu wandi bébé
Florence u ya be lile mama
Chérie uya du gabile
Florence

You’re all I have
You’re my Adia
Baby, ah-eh
You’re all I have, baby
Florence, you’re all I have
Baby, you’re my treasure
Florence

Uya regembe wandi
Adia, ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah yo yo yo
Bi uva lile Adia
Duniru duami
Ni va lile Bébé
Duniru a duagu
Guagu veke Adia
Chérie ah eh
Ngulu wandi bébé
Florence

You’re all I have
Adia, ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah yo yo yo
I miss you so much, Adia
You’re all I have in this world
I miss you, baby
You’re all I have in this world
You’re my Adia
Baby, ah, eh
You’re all I have, baby
Florence

U ya be lile mama
Chérie
Uya du gabile
Florence
Uya regembe wandi
Adia
Ngukuobu
Bébé
Ngeyu a minu
Bébé
Ka lembu
Biyogu

You’re all I have,
Baby
You’re my treasure
Florence
You’re my everything
Adia
My love
Baby
You’re my heart
Baby
Let’s go

Biva bandissi bébé
Biyogu Musson Gu bébé
Ngukuobu
Bébé
Ngeyu a minu
Bébé
Ka lembu
Biyogu

You’re all I have, baby
You’re my Musson, baby
My love
Baby
You’re my heart
Baby
Let’s go

Biva bandissi bébé
Biyogu Musson Gu bébé
Ngukuobu
Bébé
Ngeyu a minu
Bébé
Ka lembu

By PAPA JUMA

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The success of this high-paced music, characterized by captivating stories narrated in melodic tunes that follow patterns struck by the solo guitar, saw a genre that originated on the shores of Lake Victoria spread fast across the country. It dominated the local music scene to the point of becoming the country’s unofficial genre. It became the center of gravity around which Kenya’s entertainment revolved.

As its popularity spread rapidly across the country, the influx of Congolese expatriate musicians into East Africa also hit a crescendo, with dozens of bands pitching tent in Nairobi. This coincidence redefined entertainment and the consumption of music.

Apart from creativity and the sheer talent of the musicians, one of the factors that greatly contributed to this success was a vibrant local music industry. This industry saw individuals invest heavily in the production and distribution of music, which by any standards also became a very lucrative business. The advent of recording technology two decades earlier had midwifed this new reality, and worth noting is that most of the pioneer companies were foreign-owned, with the most important players being Europeans, just as was the case in the DRC in those days. Among them were Charles Worrod of Equator, a revered father of twist, and Mike Andrews, among others.

Then came Phares Oluoch Kanindo, the father of Benga. He was the face of the genre and was deeply involved in its creation, production, marketing, and popularization, to the extent that it can arguably be concluded that no single individual has been more central to the development of Benga, and by extension Kenya’s music, than Kanindo, also known by the moniker Galamoro.

So celebrated was Kanindo—also known for his gift of the gab as a polished public speaker, an asset that came in handy in his forays into politics—that several songs were titled after him owing to his immense contribution to the genre’s evolution. Many others mentioned his name in a tradition known as “chogo” in Benga or “kobwaka libanga” in Congolese rumba.

                         Ozali mwana oyebana > (You are known)

                       Nayokaka na sango na Zaire > (I heard about Kanindo in Zaire)

                       Lelo naya komonana Kanindo > (Today I have traveled to come and see Kanindo)

                      Sikse ya mwana etambola > (News of your success has spread far)

These are lyrics from the song “Kanindo” by Jimmy Monimambo and his Orchestra Shika Shika, sung by Jimmy Monimambo himself and Lovy Longomba. Les Kamale also did a song for Kanindo, and so did Super Mazembe and many other bands.

Kanindo was born in the Awendo sugar belt in South Nyanza, Western Kenya, on November 12th, 1942, and attended local primary schools, Manyatta and Koderobara. His quest to quench his thirst for secondary education saw him travel beyond the country’s borders to Uganda, before eventually flying to Czechoslovakia for a diploma in radio production. Upon his return to the country, armed with skills in radio production, he was employed by the state-owned news agency, KNA.

He then made his maiden involvement in music production as an employee of AIT Records, which had been established by Mike Andrews, popularly known as Mike Mahanjam—a nickname he got from producer George Fombe, who chided him “ongeza mahanjam” (spice it up) during his stint at KBC. Coincidentally, Mike died in the last days of last month, January 2026.

Kanindo later swapped employment to EMI Records. He began getting deeply involved in Benga and made a name for himself in an era when big record companies reigned supreme. He became very instrumental in popularizing local music on the international scene. This he did by purchasing the American-owned EMI Records and rebranding it under his own label, POK, an abbreviation of Phares Oluoch Kanindo.

He also established other labels: Kanindo, Sungura, Lolwe, Oyundi, Duol, Hundhwe, and Kalausi, among others, which came emblazoned on vinyl records, as was the norm in those days. Hitherto, Chandarana of Kericho had recorded most of the big names in Benga. Some of Kanindo’s labels became so popular abroad that they turned into household names. The Sungura label, for example, is solely responsible for the emergence of Sungura music, a popular genre in Harare that originated from Benga. Listening to the genre today, one may struggle to find anything that sets it apart from Kenyan Benga as we know it.

With a good network of distribution, his brand sold across the continent, creating a symbiotic relationship between himself, the musicians, and the fans. It was the vinyl records that carried his name far and wide, given the popularity of the genre. He was a master of the craft. He knew which musician was best suited for which task in any particular band or recording and influenced their movement accordingly. He prospected for talent, nurtured it, and gave musicians opportunities to excel. He was literally the father of Benga from many perspectives.

Through his POK Music Stores, Kanindo produced and marketed music far and wide, reaching countries such as Ivory Coast, Zambia, Malawi, Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria, among others. His forays also gained footholds in New York City and London. Kanindo worked with almost all the top Benga musicians.

He became so influential in music that visiting Congolese musicians such as Franco and Verckys would pay homage to his home in Awendo. Although the pioneers of the genre—John Ogara, Were Carey, Aketch Oyosi, Owiti Origo, Odira Jombo, among others—and the second generation of Collela Mazee, Okatch Biggy, Ouma Omore, Awino Lawi, Prince Jully, Jim Likembe, and others are equally recognized for their roles in originating and popularizing the genre, all this was possible largely because of Kanindo’s role. It is he who takes the bigger credit for its evolution and growth into what it became.

The development of the genre would not be complete without Oluoch Kanindo. He was the Verckys of Benga. He created bands, managed bands, and even provided them with equipment.

The political bug later bit Kanindo and saw him contest the Homa Bay parliamentary seat in 1979. His gift of the gab once again came in handy. That he already had a big name and was known in every corner of the village made his work easy. His already established networks and oratory skills delivered victory to his side.

His speeches always left audiences in stitches. He was so humorous that each time he rose to speak in public forums, the crowd would begin cheering even before he reached the microphone. However, in the 1988 elections, KANU strongman Hezekiah Oyugi forced a Dalmas Otieno victory through the infamous mlolongo elections. Kanindo would later attempt to resuscitate his political career in 2013 with the advent of devolution, but his bid to become governor flopped.

It is also remembered that during his tenure as MP and assistant minister for education, Kanindo never ever walked with a bodyguard, despite the government assigning an armed aide at his disposal. His wife was once quoted as saying there was no need, since he was never at war with anyone.

“My late husband had some extraordinary confidence in everyone, and that is why he had no political enemy during his many days in politics,” said one of the wives, Mary.

However, opinion is divided on this. Others opine that he was a fearless man who would confront anyone who dared cross his line and, as such, never found an essence in enhancing his security.

Kanindo died on 24th May 2014 at Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu, after battling diabetes. His contribution to Kenya’s and the region’s music remains unmatched to date.

By Jerome Ogola

Jabulani Radio

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When he made himself unavailable at the band’s headquarters at Un Deux Trois for a few days, Franco launched a manhunt for him. A physical search was conducted in town to establish his whereabouts until he was finally found. Each time the band was traveling abroad for performances, he was the very first to be cleared. He literally participated in all concerts that the band held abroad during the period he was with the band.

Could it be for the reason that he was a versatile vocalist, gifted with a wide vocal range on the musical scale, which made him fit anywhere as a lead or backup vocalist? Maybe it was because he had been with the band for long and carried some institutional memory critical to the band’s output in performances. But this can easily be debunked by the reality that Lola joined the band before him (1967) and did not leave at any time, and so would have definitely beaten him on that front. Josky joined in 1973.

It is also possible that Franco had a preference for him as a dependable commander of the vocal section; and having participated in many studio assignments in the band’s repertoire, Franco feared that leaving him behind would have crippled the band in some way. Although he had sung with two other bands before—African Fiesta Sukisa and Orchestra Continental—between 1969 and 1972, it is actually at OK Jazz that Josky stamped his authority as the band’s most prominent member and one of the superstars from the DRC, the "land of musical gods," as Peruvian filmmaker Allan Brain refers to the DRC.

For the reason that the two bands did not last long and were also little known, at least compared to OK Jazz, it is only reasonable that Josky’s greatness is defined by his period in Franco’s band. "OKJ was definitely a bigger platform," opines Shaddy Shihusa of Jabulani Radio. The presenter, who hosts Rumba Overdose, points out that the relationship between Josky and OKJ was symbiotic in the sense that despite Josky gaining a bigger platform, the band also had a dependable musician in its rank and file—one who was instrumental in the band's success in the 1970s and 1980s. “Josky’s voice became the band’s signature,” he adds.

From the period he joined throughout the 1970s, he composed several songs and participated in the singing of many others that were not necessarily his own compositions. At the time of his joining, the band already had Sam Mangwana, Prince Youlou Mabiala, and Michel Boyibanda. He joined alongside Wuta Mayi, who had previously been his colleague at Orchestra Continental, the band that also had Bopol Mansiamina, Serpent Kabamba, and others. Singer Paul Ndombe also joined OK Jazz not long after.

It is said that Simaro was instrumental in the recruitment of Josky into OK Jazz. Despite having settled in the band, in terms of singing, most of his earlier attempts at composing while at OK Jazz invited ridicule from Franco, who insisted that the songs did not conform to the OK Jazz school of rumba, also referred to as Odemba. Franco insisted that the songs were actually of the African Jazz school of rumba, also known as Fiesta, and having had stints at African Fiesta Sukisa and Continental only meant that his style was inclined in that direction.

However, Franco tasked Simaro to help Josky conform to the OK Jazz School. Watching the OK Jazz 20th anniversary concerts, one gets the idea that in terms of performances, Josky had settled. His voice became a constant feature in most of the songs of the period. His own compositions, like Selija, seem to confirm that he was not just fast at adapting to the Odemba style, but was fast rising to become a star singer of the style that had previously been associated with the voice of Vicky Longomba.

The composition of Propriétaire in 1980 became Josky’s defining moment. The song, composed in the context of a woman lamenting her abandonment despite her charming beauty, became a huge success. It became the band’s most popular song of the period and naturally thrust Josky into the limelight for more glory. The whole of Kinshasa was humming along to the song, which came out perfectly in an Odemba style, featuring Franco and Gerry on solo guitars.

With fans thirsting for more, Josky did several compositions as follow-ups to that success. Josky participated in a zing zong that involved Michelino, an ex–OK Jazz musician who had left the band in 1978 and flown to Paris after a sojourn in Nairobi with his band Makfe. In a typical lisanga ya banganga, Josky, Michelino, Matalanza the sax player, and Franco did an album which featured the songs Chacun pour soi (Josky), Laissez passer (Matalanza), Suite lettre 2 (Franco), and Missile (Josky).

Michelino, still based in Paris, told Jabulani Radio that despite having a prominent saxman, Matalanza, on board, they chose to exclude the saxophone in the songs to allow Franco’s serene guitar to thrive. In the songs that featured no horns, Bofi Banengola played drums while Thims Toroma played bass. Michelino played solo and rhythm while Franco concentrated on the serene. However, in Suite lettre 2, Franco only sang but did not play any guitar—in itself a very rare occurrence.

The songs recorded in 1983 also became very popular. The epitome of Josky’s creativity as a musician hit fans with the release of exclusively Josky compositions in the album Franco Presents Josky. The first of the twin albums contained the songs Limbisa Ngai, Masini, Mehida, and Alita Tshamala. Another early-1980s milestone for Josky was his song KSK (Kasongo Seif Kitima), which was released in the album L’Ancienne Belgique. This album also contained hits like Mukungu (soloist Dialungana), Ndaya (bassist Decca Mpudi)—whose first part is sung in Kintandu, his native language—and Pesa Position, composed by Madilu.

The album featured the band’s dream team of Gege Mangaya on rhythm, Mpudi on bass, while Gerry and Franco were on first and second solo respectively. The 1980s decade was Josky’s. He did very many songs with the band, both as lead and backup vocalist. He also emerged in some zing zong (makeshift bands) that yielded songs like Lela Ngai na Mosika and Likongo Limboka. These songs featured several OK Jazz musicians, among them Ntesa, whom he sang with. The songs were composed by Momene Mikengo.

Josky kept the tempo, and even in the post-Franco era, he composed Chandra and Mibali Bosali, songs arranged by Dizzy Mandjeku, all of which became hit songs. The album also featured Kakoma Nado on drums, Gerry and Dizzy on solo, while Josky sang with Ntesa, Madilu, and Malage. Veteran percussionist Bosuma Dessoin also participated.

Away from OK Jazz, Josky also did other collaborations that became equally successful. Among them was an album he did with guitarist Rigo Star that contained the songs Jotongo, Bon Payeur, Promise Ezali Niongo, Bilei Special, and Malia. Another was the album Sans Frontière that he did with Ntesa, which contains the songs Selengina, Le Monde et ses Problèmes, Aye Pitié, and Limbisaka. The album features Assan Corvin on solo, Djo Djo on rhythm, Dele Pedro on sax (a Nigerian saxman who played for OK Jazz), and Didier Boluwe on drums, among others.

Another Josky project that helped define his greatness was Destin Sincérité, which featured Madilu and Lita Bembo, formerly of Stukas, on vocals. The album, recorded at Cartex Studios in Brussels, featured Rigo Star on guitars. Other songs on the album are Erreur and Pierre.

Despite composing songs that did remarkably well with African Fiesta Sukisa and Orchestra Continental, OK Jazz was the natural home of Josky Kiambukuta. Josky was born on Valentine’s Day in 1949 at Gombe Matadi and grew up in Barumbu in Kinshasa. He died on March 7, 2021, at Ngaliema Hospital.

As the world marks what would have been his 77th birthday, there is a rich discography to keep his fans dancing. His remains may be resting at the Nécropole Cemetery in Kinshasa, but his voice resides inside the hearts of fans. Radio Jabulani has dedicated an episode of Rumba Fiesta to this icon, among many other events in Congo, Africa, and beyond, themed at celebrating this singing genius.

By Jerome Ogola

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SYNOPSIS

"Namiswi Misapi" (which translates to "I bite my fingers"). This is a gesture of deep regret or "I've learned my lesson."
This is a classic rumba that revolves around heartbreak and the humbling of a former Playboy. The song tells the story of a man who once took pride in his ability to mistreat women, only to find himself completely broken and humiliated by a woman named Di Lulu. He admits to having been a bourreau de coeur (a destroyer of hearts). He reflects on his past arrogance (lolendo) and how he used to toy with women’s emotions. Now, the tables have turned; he is the one suffering, losing weight from stress, and begging for attention. A significant portion of his pain comes from Lulu, "telling all of Kinshasa" that he was the one who pursued her. He feels shamed that his pursuit of love—which he views as a natural act—has been turned into a weapon of ridicule by the woman he loves and the "bad people" watching them. Let's dive into the lyrics.

LYRICS

Nga nabebi nzoto mpo na yo, Di Lulu eeh
Ouvre moi la porte, vraiment
Je suis en comble du desespoir
Oyini nga boye nakamwe mingi eh eh

I’ve deteriorated my body because of you, Di Lulu.
Open the door.
I am hopeless.
Why do you dislike me? I am in a big shock.

 Zogisela ngai tendresse napesa yo mama..
Bato ya mabe bakoprofitér mpo baseka biso eeh..
Tika boye mwana oyo
Na kondi kaka mokolo moko

Return the tenderness that I gave you.
Bad people will take advantage of this. They will make fun of us.
Stop this.
I lost weight in a day.

Le sentiment le plus proche de l’amour ce la haine
Moto oyo alingaka makasi, ye nde aboyaka makasi!
Tozalaki pourtant lokola bana mapasa
Ba mpasi na bisengo nioso tokabolaki,
Na comprendre yo lelo ntina oboyi nga
Obaye nga ko mobulu elaka nga

The closest feelings to love are hatred.
The one who deeply falls in love is also the one who deeply falls out of love.
We were like twins.
We shared pain and suffering.
Today I understand why you don’t want me anymore.
You are tired of me because I am disorganised.

Instrumental
Chorus

Bolingo ntango ekobandaka
Na motema se ya moto moko
Kino eko contaminer motema ya moto mosusu
Soki nga nabandaki yo, Nzambe moto atindaka boye
Mobali abanda mwasi, sima ba lingana

At the beginning of a relationship
There is only one person
Until another person is contaminated
I chatted with you first. This is the way that it is supposed to be.
A man chats with a woman, then they fall in love.

Mpo nini okomi ko betela ngai tagua Kinshasa mobimba!
Que na moto nalulaki yo? Lisumu nini nasala?
Nioso mpo naza likanisi.. ya ko linga yo Lulu ee, Lulu eeh
Nandimi defaite ya bolingo. Motoki etondi nzoto.

Why are you telling everybody in Kinshasa
That I chatted with you first? Did I sin for doing so?
I am in trouble because I chatted with you, Lulu, first.
I accept the blame. I am sweating.

Namemi kuruze ya lamulu eh, ngai nazoki nzube ooh
Fungola ngai ndako
Ngai naleli eeh…

I am bearing the cross of Love. I wounded.
Open the door.
I beg you.

Chorus

Bolingo ntango ekobandaka
Na motema se ya moto moko
Kino eko contaminer motema ya moto mosusu
Soki nga nabandaki yo, Nzambe moto atindaka boye
Mobali abanda mwasi, sima ba lingana

At the beginning of a relationship.
There is only one person.
Until another person is contaminated.
I chatted with you first. This is the way that it is supposed to be.
A man chats with a woman, then they fall in love.

Mpo nini okomi kobetela ngai ntangwa Kinshasa mobimba!
Que nga moto bandaki yo, lisumu nini nasala?
Nioso mpo nazua likanisi oyo ya kolinga Lulu ee, Lulu eeh
Nandimi defaite bolingo motoki etondi nzoto eeh
Namemi kurunze ya lamulu eeh
Ngai nazoki nzube ooh, fungola ngai ndako
Ngai naleli eeh…

Why are you telling everybody in Kinshasa?
That I chatted with you first? Did I sin for doing so?
I am in trouble because I chatted with you, Lulu, first.
I accept the blame. I am sweating.
I am bearing the cross of love. I am wounded.
Open the door.
I beg you.

Chorus

Bolingo ntango ekobandaka
Na motema se ya moto moko
Kino eko contaminer motema ya moto mosusu
Soki nga nabandaki yo, Nzambe moto atindaka boye
Mobali abanda mwasi, sima ba lingana

At the beginning of a relationship
There is only one person
Until another person is contaminated
I chatted with you first. This is the way that it is supposed to be.
A man chats with a woman, then they fall in love

Nakoma komituna, nini ezwi ngai mama?
Napusaki lolendo, mosala se koniokolo basi eh
Lelo yo nga nasuki bourreau di, namiswi misapi oh
Bambengaki ngai bourreau de coeur
Nga nazwi etumbu eeh

I am wondering what happened to me?
I was too proud; I was mistreating women.
I stop my destroying habit. I bite my finger.
They called me the destroyer of hearts.
I am carrying a burden.

Ntongo ezali kotanela, ngai nse na libanda mama
Fungola ngai ndako
Ngai naleli eeh…

It is morning, and I am still outside.
Open the door.
I beg you.

Chorus

Bolingo ntango ekobandaka
Na motema se ya moto moko
Kino eko contaminer, motema ya moto mosusu
Soki nga nabandaki yo, Nzambe moto atindaka boye
Mobali abanda mwasi, sima ba lingana

At the beginning of a relationship
There is only one person
Until another person is contaminated
I chatted with you first. This is the way that it is supposed to be.
A man chats with a woman, then they fall in love

Nakoma ko mi kamwe eh, nini ezwi ngai mama?
Napusaki bageste, mosala se koniokolo basi eeh
Lelo yo nga nasuki moseka mama, namiswi misapi oh
Ba bengaki ngai bourreau de coeur

I am wondering what happened to me?
I was full of gestures; I was mistreating women
I stop my destroying habit. I bite my finger
They called me a destroyer of hearts

 Nga nazwi etumbu eeh
Ntongo ezali ko tanela, nga se na libanda mama
Fungola ngai ndako
Ngai naleli eeh….

 I am carrying a burden
It is morning, and I am still outside
Open the door
I beg you

Chorus

Bolingo ntango ekobandaka
Na motema se ya moto moko
Kino eko contaminer motema ya moto mosusu
Soki nga nabandaki yo, Nzambe moto atindaka boye
Mobali abanda mwasi, sima ba lingana

At the beginning of a relationship
There is only one person
Until another person is contaminated
I chatted with you first. This is the way that it is supposed to be.
A man chats with a woman, then they fall in love

By PAPA JUMA

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Coming at a time when most TV programs were imported from abroad, local content naturally became an instant hit with audiences. To give a complete local touch, the producers chose the song "Tausi" as the introductory tune. The introduction was laden with significance; while the country’s entertainment was dominated by foreign art, the country also had talent that could quench that thirst.

The song was recorded in the early 1950s, making it one of the earliest songs recorded in Kenya. Alongside other hits such as "Olivia," "Ajali Haikingiki," "Jambo Singara," and others, Fundi Konde remains an important pillar of Kenyan music, having played a significant role in the nascent days of the country’s music industry. He was there from the beginning and didn’t just witness its development, but actually played an important role in shaping it.

Fundi Konde, who was born Kenga Mbogo in Kilifi on August 24, 1924, began his musical journey playing the flute while still a student in a Catholic mission school. He later debuted his career as a full-time musician when he was enrolled in the colonial military, the King’s African Rifles, with the specific role of playing the flute and entertaining soldiers. A zumari is a bamboo-made wind instrument very close to a clarinet. The instrument is central to many Giriama folk tunes, and being one, this was Fundi Konde’s entrance before learning other instruments.

Historian Levin Opiyo, in 2023, posted a video of Fundi Konde while in Sri Lanka, accompanied by a caption that read:

“King’s African Rifles entertainment group entertained East African soldiers fighting in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, in 1945 during World War II. They gave 350 performances in a year, covering 60,500 miles in Ceylon, India, and Burma. Among the soldiers performing in Southeast Asia was the hugely influential guitarist Fundi Konde, who joined the King’s African Rifles band in 1944. The double bass guitar was played by a corporal from Uganda. Another member of the band was George Senoga Zake, who was among the people responsible for producing a new national anthem for Kenya at independence.”

In the video, a young Fundi Konde is captured playing an acoustic guitar with unmatched expertise.

It was upon his return that he joined trumpeter Ngala Karani and drummer Joseph Chuza in Peter Colmore’s African Band, one of the pioneer professional bands in the country, in 1947. Fundi Konde is one of the most notable Kenyan pioneer electric guitarists. He ventured further and incorporated several genres into the traditional coastal music.

Fundi Konde also worked as a producer with the Kenya Broadcasting Service, as the national broadcaster was then known, before rebranding to VOK. While at KBS, he recorded several songs with Esther Fadhili, who was Fadhili William’s sister and also worked at the radio station.

Fundi Konde also worked with HMV (His Master’s Voice), a British record company with a subsidiary in Nairobi, as a sound engineer and musician, before switching to High Fidelity. It was there that he worked on "Malaika," a Fadhili William song whose authorship has often been disputed.

The musician, who has been praised as the "father of Kenyan music" by Them Mushrooms in the song "Daima," composed in his tribute, later settled as a music producer. The song extols his contributions to music and emphasizes his singing prowess: “kama ninga ulisikika, mashariki mwa Africa” (Like a pigeon, your voice entertained the entire East Africa). As a producer, through his hands, many great hits were made.

Several songs sung by Them Mushrooms and other Coast-based bands are either his compositions or old songs adopted from the rich coastal folk music, most of which were first recorded by Fundi Konde, while some were entirely his own compositions. He thus takes credit for having modified old traditional songs associated with the coastal traditions and making them recorded music for wider listenership beyond the Kenyan Coast.

Fundi Konde died on June 29, 2000, a death that brought to an end a career that had lasted six decades. He remains one of the icons of Kenyan music, hailing from the Coast region, which also produced greats such as Fadhili Williams, the Mushrooms Quintet (comprising five siblings from Kaloleni in Giriama: Teddy Kalanda, John Katana, Billy Saro, George Ziro, and Denis Kalume), the Pressmen Band of Albert Shehi and Willy Mwang’ombe, Adam Nadro Solomon based in Canada, Mzee Ngala of Bango fame, and many others.

Fundi Konde also mentored several musicians, an achievement that decorates his legacy further. Many upcoming stars passed through his mentorship, as he was himself a polished guitarist, composer, singer, and producer.

By Jerome Ogola

Jabulani Radio

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This was a milestone in the commercialization of music and created prospects for professional musicians for the very first time. In 1960, a retired British army officer, Peter Colmore, established yet another recording label in Nairobi known as High Fidelity. This is the facility that housed Eduard Masengo and his cousin Jean Bosco Mwenda Wa Bayeke—the very first Congolese musicians to set foot in Kenya—as well as Fundi Konde and other musicians. Before the establishment of these two recording companies, a few dozen Kenyan musicians had been produced under the British label HMV. Other early record labels were CMS (Capitol Music Store), AGS (African Gramophone Store), and ASL (Associated Sounds Limited).

However, it was in 1963 when Charles Worrod, a South African of English descent, bought East African Records and rebranded it Equator Sounds, with the house band rebranding from Jambo Boys to Equator Sounds Band. This was the citadel of the country’s musical evolution. It is his creative mind that saw him experiment with a fusion of South African beats and American music, resulting in an authentic Kenyan beat, "Twist," which had a wild following in the region, earning him the sobriquet "the father of Twist."

"Harambee Harambee," the most successful of his projects, turned out to be the country’s biggest song in the era. Equator was home to the region's finest musical talents, among them Fadhili William, Daudi Kabaka, Gabriel Omollo, Ugandan Charles Ssonko, and Zambians Nashil Pichen and Peter Tsotsi. This is the recording label that recorded "Malaika," yet another hit unofficially declared the East African anthem by music aficionados of the region—a song which has so far traveled far and wide with cover versions recorded by musical big names of the world.

The advent of recording technology, which happened simultaneously with the emergence of urban life—both occurring a few years preceding the country’s independence—acted as catalysts which catapulted Africa’s music to international fame, beyond the countries' frontiers.

The DRC is a country of more than 250 ethnic communities, and the convergence of these cultures in Kinshasa provided a fertile ground for the breeding of Congolese Rumba. Of course, traveling from the villages in the countryside of the vast country to the capital in search of jobs, individuals didn’t leave their traditions at home. That is how the native culture found its way into the town, eventually spilling into the music, then in its nascent stages.

The very first record label to set foot in Kinshasa (then known as Leopoldville) was known as Ngoma, and it was owned by a Greek entrepreneur, Nicholas Jeronimidis. It was established in 1948, and the very first musicians to be signed were Wendo Kolosoy, the celebrated father of Congolese music, and Henri Bowane. The former, who had previously worked as a boat mechanic and coxswain in the waters of the Congo River (locally known as Ebale Ya Zaire), made his debut recording with the company in the same year. The song titled "Marie Louise," which is the oldest known locally recorded Congolese song, also happened to be the country’s first song to go international, putting the country on the musical map globally and, of course, internationally much later.

A second record company set up base in Kinshasa in 1950. It went by the name Opika. It was owned by Greek siblings known as Gabriel and Joseph Benatar. It was these studios that housed the evolution of African Jazz, which featured superstars Grand Kalle, Dr. Nico Kasanda, Tino Baroza, and others.

In 1952, Loningisa arrived. It was owned by another Greek, Athanase Papadimitriou. This company housed the evolution of OK Jazz. It is here that Watam, headed by Dewayon—a band that Franco featured for—signed in. This is the record label that recorded Franco's very first songs, "Kombo Ya Loningisa" and "Lilima Dis Cheri Wa Ngai," songs that were recorded in 1953 when Franco was 15 years old. OK Jazz evolved from studio musicians signed to this label.

Esengo was yet another company. It came in the mid-1950s and packed Henri Bowane, the biggest musical name in the era. Esengo had a nose for talent. They poached musicians from other companies, and it is at this studio that the phenomenal Rock-A-Mambo emerged.

The other important record label of the era was CEFA. This was founded by Bill Alexander. Bill was Belgian and not Greek like the others. Bill is the person who is credited with introducing the solo guitar in Congolese Rumba. This guitar wasn't just an improved instrument but acted like a whole new concept for the evolving genre. It became the engine that runs the genre, with other instruments acting as mere spices.

The other important record company was Veve, established in 1972 by Verckys. It housed the evolution of Cavacha, a sub-genre of Rumba that defined and dominated that third generation. This is the production house that recorded and distributed most of Congo's big bands in the 1970s. Verckys also funded bands and equipped them. These record labels played a very critical role in the development of Congolese Rumba.

By Jerome Ogola

Jabulani Radio

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