Artist Spotlight

CHRISTOPHER MONYONCHO: THE GUSII TOWERING MUSICAL ICON

August 23, 2025 - 02:00 PM Just Who Was Christopher Monyoncho? This is the question many commentators online kept asking after a short Tiktok clip by Kamba guitar sensation Tumbo Usu went viral. In the clip, Tumbo displays impressive finger dexterity on the fretboard, showcasing his guitar expertise by performing an old Benga song titled Safari ya Kericho, originally sung by Kijana Musyoki and his Kimangu Boys Band. The song, which was a regular feature on KBC radio in the 1990s, seemed to evoke fond memories for many. The viral clip rekindled nostalgia and curiosity, particularly around the song’s subject matter. I...

LIGHTS OFF FOR CHARLES OMUGA KABISAE

August 11, 2025 - 10:00 AM Veteran Kenyan broadcast journalist Charles Omuga Kabisae has died after a long illness. His passing was announced by KBC Radio, where he served for many years. Omuga Kabisae was an icon of broadcast journalism from the era when the state broadcaster was the sole source of news and entertainment in Kenya. He began his career as a vernacular presenter with KBC Kisumu, broadcasting in Dholuo. In 1990, he transitioned to the National Service and became widely known for his dignified delivery of the radio obituary segment, Matangazo ya Vifo. In those days, when telecommunication technology was still in its infancy and platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and other social media did not exist,......

KANDA BONGOMAN’S FOOTPRINTS IN NAIROBI

August 01, 2025 - 04:43 AM During the requiem mass for the late veteran news anchor Catherine Kasavuli, murmurs surfaced that her son, Martin Kasavuli, was a doppelgänger of former Baringo Senator Gideon Moi. This rekindled the tabloid fantasy of the early 1990s, which suggested the TV journalist had an intimate relationship with former President Moi. The genesis of this rumor can be traced to an April 1990 episode when Congolese musician Kanda Bongo Man was unceremoniously ejected from the country via a cargo plane. Kanda had been on a sojourn in Kenya's capital, where he held electrifying concerts at KICC, Nyayo Stadium, among other venues. However, just as the stage was set for a concert at the Stanley......

JANE THE BENGA QUEEN

July 01, 2025 - 08:10 PM Very few women have dared to challenge the male dominance of Central Kenya's vibrant music industry and achieve the level of success that Queen Jane did. Many others who take up the challenge rarely rise beyond the roles of dancers and backup vocalists, as the terrain is treacherous for women and seemingly structured to favor men. Performing in clubs all night, being away from family, and battling the stigma that often portrays musicians as vagabonds are just some of the challenges that have bogged down many aspiring female musicians. But Queen Jane defied the odds. She not only navigated these hurdles but also rose to the apex as one of the region's and the country's top musicians. Her......

THE CONGOLESE MUSICIAN TURNED SUPERSTAR

June 13, 2025 - 05:43 PM When Ugandan billionaire Christopher Atama journeyed to the Democratic Republic of Congo, then known as Zaire, in the mid-1970s, his sole mission was to scout for musical talent to entertain patrons at his club, Economy, in Kampala. At the time, Economy was one of the busiest joints in town. Little did he know that he was also unknowingly scouting for talent for Gor Mahia, one of East Africa's leading football clubs. At the time, Kampala's thirst for Congolese rumba was growing daily, especially after a series of shows in the city by Orchestra Veve, led by saxophonist Verckys Kiamuangana. Orchestra Veve was then one of the biggest bands in Congo and the region. Some members of the Veve......

THE REIGNING BENGA KING

June 05, 2025 - 09:06 PM The song "Asembo Piny Maber" is a figurative narration that extols the greatness of a locality as a way of expressing the beauty of a woman."Asembo piny maber wachame mawembe""Kalando piny maber wachame nyamami gi mbuta"(Asembo, the great land that serves juicy mangoes and delicious Nile perch) The song, undoubtedly the biggest hit by benga sensation Osito Kalle, is a musical narration of the history of his Kakia sub-clan of the Asembo clan. He compares this history to the beauty of Jane Akelo Nyaimbo, a woman the musician was in love with. The clan traces its origin to a legend of a hunter from Kano who was killed by a fellow hunter from Asembo during an expedition. A court session......

FROM LUBUMBASHI TO NAIROBI WITH MUSIC

May 09, 2025 - 04:35 AM The Story of Darzee & His Band Bilenge Du Congo, Nairobi’s Current Biggest Band "Bilenge" is a Lingala word for youth. The name was given to us by Mr. Dr. Maloba, who managed the band," Darzee Kalend says in response to the origin of the name. "At that time, we couldn't agree on the name to baptize our new band, with some members insisting that it be named Kivu, Lubumbashi, while others wanted Bukavu, based on their hometowns." That was in the mid-1990s. Darzee had been in Nairobi for a few years, having traveled from his home country, the DRC, in 1993. He was brought into Kenya by Evany Kabila Kabanze, the Les Mangelepa supremo, with the intention of reviving the band whose......

SAMMY KASULE : ONE OF THE FEW RUMBA STARS FROM KAMPALA

April 28, 2025 - 01:00 PM It is exactly four years ago today that this writer received a forwarded message on WhatsApp from a Ugandan friend, journalist Jacobs Odongo Seaman, about Sammy Kasule's death. The message came in a few minutes after the death of veteran journalist Philip Ochieng was made public by his family, making that day a black Tuesday.The message read that Ugandan musician Sammy Kasule had died in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Sammy Kasule had fallen sick and was traveling abroad to Sweden to seek treatment, but when the plane stopped in Amsterdam, it was assessed that his condition had deteriorated, necessitating immediate medical attention in the Netherlands. He died a few days later. Kasule Sammy, a......

DIEUDOS DUKI MAKWANZI

March 23, 2025 - 05:20 AM DIEUDOS DUKI MAKWANZI, the Soloist of Le Noir, Passes Away. Dieudos Duki Makwanzi, the renowned soloist of Le Noir, passed away on March 20 in Brussels, Belgium, where he had been residing. In the early 1970s, he performed with Le Noir in Nairobi, Kenya. The band was led by veteran musician Chuza Kabaselle and was among the few Congolese bands that returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) intact, unlike many others that either remained abroad, disbanded, or disintegrated. In addition to Chuza Kabaselle, who played the congas, Le Noir featured other notable musicians, including Negro Sax veteran Beya Maduma and Amba Zozo, who also played with Negro Success. According to Alastair......

KNOW MORE ABOUT PAPA LOLO HIT MAKER

March 12, 2025 - 03:00 PM Fanfan, as his fans know him, was a veteran musician of the second generation of Congolese rumba. He was primarily a guitarist but also excelled as a composer, arranger, and band leader. Born in October 1945, Mose Sengo, aka Mose Fanfan, debuted in music in 1966 with a band called Rickem Jazz in Kinshasa. He also had a stint with the Orchestre Revolution, a formation mostly consisting of musicians who had rebelled from Franco's OKJ in 1967. Fanfan, the only guitarist who could pull out a Franco on the fretboard, joined OKJ in 1968 and left in 1974. He played in the studio recording of several songs, including Beya, his own composition, dje melasi, and several others. He quit the band to......

Artist Spotlight

CHRISTOPHER MONYONCHO: THE GUSII TOWERING MUSICAL ICON

LIGHTS OFF FOR CHARLES OMUGA KABISAE

KANDA BONGOMAN’S FOOTPRINTS IN NAIROBI

JANE THE BENGA QUEEN

THE CONGOLESE MUSICIAN TURNED SUPERSTAR

THE REIGNING BENGA KING

FROM LUBUMBASHI TO NAIROBI WITH MUSIC

SAMMY KASULE : ONE OF THE FEW RUMBA STARS FROM KAMPALA

DIEUDOS DUKI MAKWANZI

KNOW MORE ABOUT PAPA LOLO HIT MAKER

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Artist Spotlight

CHRISTOPHER MONYONCHO: THE GUSII TOWERING MUSICAL ICON

LIGHTS OFF FOR CHARLES OMUGA KABISAE

KANDA BONGOMAN’S FOOTPRINTS IN NAIROBI

JANE THE BENGA QUEEN

THE CONGOLESE MUSICIAN TURNED SUPERSTAR

THE REIGNING BENGA KING

FROM LUBUMBASHI TO NAIROBI WITH MUSIC

SAMMY KASULE : ONE OF THE FEW RUMBA STARS FROM KAMPALA

DIEUDOS DUKI MAKWANZI

KNOW MORE ABOUT PAPA LOLO HIT MAKER

News

Artist Spotlight (23)

Editor's Choice (17)

Jabulani Library: Most Popular (43)

Jabulani News Archives (21)

Music Lyrics (52)

Playlists (4)

Playlists 2 (0)

RhumbaChronicles2 (0)

Trending (16)

Programs

Weekend Rhumba Twilight Mix

Weekend Soukous Odyssey

Benga Blast

Rhumba Revival Mix

Weekend Zilizopendwa Mix

Weekend Rhumba Mix

Latest podcasts

Legend Franco Luambo Makaidi

Find us on

Contact us

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