During the peak of the popularity of Benga music in the 1970s and 1980s, the genre came to be known as Kanindo in Zimbabwe and Malawi, and the name has stuck to this date.
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
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