Orchestre Les Mangelepa is a legendary group in East African Rumba, founded in Nairobi, Kenya, in July 1976 by a collective of musicians from the Eastern Congo. The band emerged as a splinter group from Baba Gaston's popular band, Baba National, primarily due to financial disagreements. Led originally by Bwamy Walumona ("Le Capitaine") and featuring key members like lead vocalist Kabila Kabanze Evany, Les Mangelepa quickly became a household name across East and Central Africa—from Kenya and Tanzania to Zambia and Uganda. Their music, blending Congolese rumba with Swahili-language lyrics, was infectious, characterized by brilliant arrangements, catchy vocals, rhythmic guitar interplay, and a distinctive "marching snare shuffle." Throughout the late 70s and 80s, their spectacular stage shows—complete with Afro hairdos and bell-bottoms—cemented their status as giants of the "golden era" of Kenyan Lingala music, churning out hits like "Embakasi," "Maindusa," and "Safari ya Mangelepa."
Despite numerous splits and lineup changes over the decades, Orchestre Les Mangelepa has demonstrated a remarkable story of survival. While many of their peers from the classic rumba era have faded away, the band continues to perform, earning them the moniker "The Last Band Standing." Even in their seventies, with a core of founding members still fronting the group, they maintain a grueling weekly residency in Nairobi, proving their enduring vitality and commitment to their classic sound. Their resurgence in recent years has included their first-ever international tours to Europe starting in 2016, and the release of acclaimed albums like Last Band Standing. Their music has even found a dedicated following as far as Colombia, where it became a cornerstone of the Champeta music scene. Orchestre Les Mangelepa remains an active, vital force, celebrating their legacy while introducing their iconic, dance-floor-shaking East African rumba to a new generation worldwide.