"Snakes give birth to long things." This saying helps explain why Dan Ochuka, son of Laban Ochuka, a superstar from the Maroon Commandos, is an accomplished musician, as were both of his parents.
His mother, Agnes, was a professional mourner, a role that involved a great deal of music, while his father was a dancer of the traditional Abanyole dance known as Esirembe.

Ochuka, one of Kenya’s finest musical sons, began his music career in the early 1970s in Ebunangwe, Emuhaya, in what is now Vihiga County, where he was born and raised. His earliest involvement in what would become a blossoming career began as a box guitar specialist, performing at funerals and entertainment joints.
This continued until one day when veteran Litungu player Joshua Omwami, famed for the hit song "Kila Siku, Kariobangi," discovered his talent and brought him to Nairobi to further his musical potential.

At the time, Joshua Omwami performed at a venue known as River Yala Club in Kariobangi. This is where young Ochuka was introduced and, after impressing both as a singer and instrumentalist, he was welcomed into the band.
After a stint with the band, in 1977, the Department of Defence (DOD) launched a recruitment drive to rejuvenate its band, the Maroon Commandos, which had been struggling to stay afloat after a tragic 1974 road accident that claimed the lives of several members.
The band had originally started as Blue Triangle and was based at the Gilgil-based infantry battalion, 5KR. Kifoto, one of its members, was transferred to Nairobi as part of trauma recovery following the accident. In 1977, he was tasked with scouting for talent to revive the band, which led to a public audition.

According to veteran journalist Elphas Ambundo, the auditions took place at Uhuru Park in Nairobi on December 31, 1977. Despite attracting a large group of musicians, only a few were selected.
Among those who impressed the panel, which was led by Kifoto himself, were Dan Ochuka, David Kibe, Tuesday Oguro, and Mwandembo. The quartet underwent rigorous military training in Lanet, Nakuru, before being posted to the Lang’ata-based 7KR, which housed the Maroon Commandos.
This lineup produced the hit "Charonyi Ni Wasi," among other songs, helping the band become a household name in Kenya. Ochuka’s first composition with the band was "Liloba," recorded in 1978.

Ochuka was an all-round musician; he composed, sang, played rhythm guitar, and bass. His primary role with the Maroon Commandos was as a bassist, though he contributed to other sections as well.
His son, Dan, who has performed with both the Maroon Commandos and Utawala, cites the song "Riziki," where he played rhythm guitar. He also played bass and sang in "Safari," his own composition, as well as "Sofia" and several others. "Safari," which tackled infidelity using figurative language, was so popular that it was recorded twice, first with Maroon Commandos and later with Ulinzi, another military band that Ochuka founded.

The song uses metaphor to suggest that sometimes "one car can be driven by two drivers," hinting at the complexities of romantic relationships. In the 1980s, the band became highly popular and frequently performed at national functions.
During that era, VOK (Voice of Kenya), which later rebranded to KBC, was the sole broadcaster. The station opened each morning at 5 a.m., and a Maroon Commandos song, "Uvivu," was used as the opening jingle. This helped make Ochuka and his bandmates household names. The song served as a national call to action, akin to the Congolese hit "Salongo Alinga Mosala."

"Sofia" tells the story of a marriage going through turbulent times. With its easy-to-sing-along melody, it became another unofficial national anthem from the band—just like "Dawa Nimuone Honey," a poetic love song.
Following disagreements within the band in the mid-1990s, Ochuka was transferred to the Defence Headquarters, where he started the Ulinzi Band and recruited musicians like the talented soloist Roland Isese.

At Ulinzi, Ochuka sang and played bass on all their recordings. Beyond Ulinzi and Maroon Commandos, he also backed several top Congolese artists in concerts and recordings, including Sam Mangwana, who recorded an album in Nairobi.
At some point, Ochuka left the music scene and gave his life to Christ at Pastor Ng’ang’a’s church. He passed away in May 2006.

He remains one of the most unsung heroes of Kenyan music.

By Jerome Ogola

Jabulani Radio

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