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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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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“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

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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

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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

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His death brought the curtains down on a music career that had spanned over 50 years. Born Pascal Tabu on November 29, 1940, Tabu Ley was a trailblazer of contemporary rumba and a titan of Congolese music.

So revered is Tabu Ley that the only other musician whose name is mentioned in the same breath, or even higher, is Grand Maître Luambo Luanzo Makiadi, famously known as Franco.

In the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, the two bands sat at the apex of the country's musical landscape as the top outfits, with competitors unable to topple them. In marking Tabu Ley’s 12th death anniversary, we seek to unmask the similarities and differences between Tabu Ley and Franco, the duo that bestrode the country’s music scene for decades like colossi.

Born two years apart, in 1938 and 1940, in Sona Bata and Bagata respectively, both were second-generation Congolese musicians who began their careers in their teenage years in Kinshasa, then known as Léopoldville, at a time when rumba was still in its nascent stages.

At 15 years old, in 1953, Franco recorded his very first release, backed by Watam, a band owned by Paul Ebengo (also known as Dewayon). For Tabu Ley, it was not until 1958 that he did his first recording, with a band known as Jazz Africaine (not African Jazz), owned by trumpeter Edo Clary Lutula. He was then 18.

Franco began earlier than Tabu Ley for obvious reasons: Ley continued to secondary school, and education consumed much of his early teenage years, unlike Franco, who left school much earlier. While many pundits attributed Franco’s exit from school to his mother’s inability to support his education after his father’s death, his aunt later clarified that Franco was simply not interested in schooling.

This introduces a raft of variances between the two titans. Early exposure to music gave Franco an opportunity to learn the tricks of the industry early enough, and that is why, by 1956, aged only 18, he created OK Jazz with others, despite never having been a member of any professional band prior.

Tabu Ley, on the other hand, had to join Rock A Mambo, Jazz Africaine, and African Jazz before finally creating African Fiesta, which he co-led with Dr Nico. It was not until 1966 that he formed his own fully owned outfit, African Fiesta National. By then, he was 26 and eight years older than Franco at the time OK Jazz was created.

Franco was the patriarch of the OK Jazz School of rumba, which he referred to as odemba. It was built on his guitar and Vicky Longomba’s vocals, as explained on Radio Jabulani by Dizzy Mandjeku, who played for both OK Jazz and Afrisa.

Tabu Ley, on the other hand, was a child of Grand Kallé’s African Jazz and remained loyal to the African Jazz School of rumba, also known as Fiesta, throughout his career. This style was defined by Dr Nico’s guitar and Grand Kallé’s singing. Other adherents included African Fiesta Sukisa of Dr. Nico, Festival Des Maquisards, Vox Africa, and many others. Those aligned to the OK Jazz School included Jean Bokelo’s Conga Success, Negro Succes, and others.

Tabu Ley was a showman with impressive choreography skills, while Franco was not. Tabu Ley’s shows were marked by immaculate performances, and he was the first musician to bring female dancers onto the stage. Franco’s concerts, meanwhile, primarily showcased vocal and instrumental expertise. Franco himself rarely danced.

Tabu Ley also appeared to appeal more to the elite, performing in venues frequented by the country’s upper class, while Franco’s band was for the masses—especially loved in informal communes such as Bandalungwa, Ngiri-Ngiri, and others.

That is not all. Franco was primarily a solo guitarist, while Tabu Ley was a vocalist. Although Franco also sang remarkably well and recorded numerous vocal tracks, he began as a guitarist. In his earliest songs, he played only guitar. Over his entire career, he played guitar on more recordings than he sang on. On some occasions, he sang while playing guitar; on others, he played without singing. But only once did he sing without playing guitar, in Suite Lettre 2, which features Michelino on both solo and rhythm guitars.

Tabu Ley, meanwhile, sang or participated in far more songs done by his band than Franco did in OK Jazz. There are many OK Jazz songs in which Franco did not participate at all, compared to Afrisa songs in which Tabu Ley was absent.

Tabu Ley was primarily a vocalist throughout his career; he did not play instruments. Franco, however, was more versatile. If in Nalingaka Yo Te he composed, sang, and played solo guitar, rhythm guitar, and percussion, all by himself, this means he had an additional edge.

Many other differences exist.

But there were also many similarities. Both were bandleaders with exceptional managerial acumen. Keeping a band together for decades is no easy task, especially considering the restlessness of musicians, who are always on the move.

Both were also gifted composers. More than half of each band’s discography was written by the respective leader, although Franco’s output surpasses that of Tabu Ley, despite Tabu Ley living more than two decades longer.

The fluidity of talent between the two bands is another similarity. Musicians came and went throughout their existences—with some leaving only to return, while others departed for good.

The bands also exchanged musicians, another point of convergence. Among the musicians who played with both Afrisa and OK Jazz were Sam Mangwana, Michelino, Loway Empopo, Kiesse Diambu, Madilu System, Dizzy Mandjeku, Ndombe Opetum, Michel Sax, Seskain Molenga, and others.

Interestingly, the two legendary leaders once joined hands in a collaboration that resulted in the Lisanga Ya Banganga album—a development that proved critics wrong after years of rumours about bad blood between them.

Many more striking similarities existed between the two. Twelve years after his death, music fans still hold Tabu Ley in high regard, and numerous commemorative events will be held in Paris and Kinshasa. Radio Jabulani has dedicated several episodes of its programs to this titan of music, described by Rumba Overdose presenter Shady Shihusa as an unmatched golden voice of Congolese rumba.

By Jerome Ogola

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It all came on a Friday morning, October 12, 1989, and it shook Kinshasa. Although gossip about his ill health had circulated like a stubborn whirlwind around Kinshasa for two months, nobody really thought he’d die or was prepared for that. For over three decades, Luambo Luanzo Makiadi had become a mystical figure in the country, so revered that he seemed immortal. His band, OK Jazz, had become the country’s biggest brand due to its iconic status.

The once little boy from Sona Bata, who strummed his self-made three-string instrument to attract patrons to his mother’s business in Ngiri Ngiri, had transformed into a global music powerhouse.

The sombre aura in the band’s first concert after his death captured it so aptly. Lukunku Sampu, the veteran Telezaire broadcaster, attempted to interview the band members, but he himself got overwhelmed by emotions, and his eyes became teary. Indeed, Franco was gone. Truly gone, never to come back again.

It is in the song that the composer Simaro Masiya passionately asks Prof Liyolo, a renowned sculptor, to create a monument for Franco, which he delivered before his own death. When Jabulani Radio inquired from one of the most successful Congolese guitarists why he disbanded his band only to later find himself at OK Jazz as a mere employee, the response was that the band was the home of fame and money. It was every musician’s dream to be at OK Jazz.

Born in Sona Bata in the Bas Congo in 1938, Franco discovered and pursued his talent early in life, true to the words of the adage that states that it isn’t difficult to know which of the young chicks will grow to become the family cockerel. Franco did his maiden recordings on November 17, 1953, backed by Watam Band of Ebengo Dewayon, aka Paul. By then, he was just 15. It is the songs "Kombo Ya Loningisa" and "Lilima Dis Cheri Wa Ngai" that opened the floodgates of recordings that made Franco rise fast as a superstar.

Franco and colleagues from Watam had joined Loningisa as studio musicians, and this was the much-needed boost that set his nascent career on the path to success. It was at Loningisa that Franco had an opportunity to showcase his wizardry on guitar, as he had been taught by Ebengo Dewayon, who afforded him his very first opportunity to play a real guitar, away from his improvisation.

His guitar skills were exemplary, and anyone who has sampled his music can attest to that. So was his songwriting acumen, which is easy to understand by identifying the songs he composed. His versatility is effortlessly covered by the instances in which he played almost all instruments and sang in the 24-minute song "Nalingaka Yo Te.”

His managerial capabilities are admired by many, as manifested by the way he held the band together for three decades. In one of the recorded interviews at Un Deux Trois, Franco introduces his band members by mentioning their names.

When prodded by Lukunku to state who Mayaula Mayoni was, Franco says he had been a footballer and a scholar. Lukunku, the interviewer, then makes a wild conclusion that if the musician had been a footballer and a scholar but chose to switch to music, then apparently that was where the money was.

“Elengi,” Franco interjects, stating that music was fun. Of course, Franco tried to convince him otherwise, but it remains factual that he may not have been as wealthy as speculated, though he surely had the money to pay his musicians — not so well, but better than other bands — and to some extent, that was the glue that held his band members together. He never struggled to pay them. Nonetheless, this shouldn't be misconstrued to mean that he never treated his musicians unfairly.

With the Loningisa label, which he worked with until he established his own record label, Epanza Makita, in 1962, with the help of Grand Kale, Franco released more than 250 songs. It is this batch that drew the world’s attention to him. Franco grew to become a phenomenon. While in Tanzania on a 1973 tour on a state invitation from President Julius Nyerere, he traveled from Dar es Salaam to Arusha in a presidential convoy, complete with the coat of arms, as narrated to Jabulani Radio by Johnes Lemghe, who coordinated the tour as one of the senior government officials then.

When he visited Khartoum in Sudan, a stampede resulted in several deaths, as documented by one of his biographers. The urge to catch a glimpse of the superstar was overwhelming, thus the stampede. When he visited Kisumu, fans had to bring down a brick perimeter wall to forcibly gain entrance into Moi Stadium. No one was willing to remain outside, insulated by a wall from the arena as Franco performed. These episodes illustrate how music fans adored the icon.

Jabulani Radio presenter Shady Shihusa says that, of all African musicians, Franco’s songs are the most requested and offers an explanation:

“Over the years, he always had a masterpiece for every new release, and this kept fans hooked and yearning for more.” He goes ahead and states that this created a near cultish following from his listeners. Indeed, looking at Franco's discography, one notices that almost every year he had new releases that captured the audience's attention.

In his early days, “On Entre OK, On Sort KO” of 1957 gained immense popularity, so much so that it became the band's unofficial anthem. Just before 1963, there were several releases big enough to forecast the fierce competition that was in the offing between OKJ and African Jazz in the 1960s, with Franco capitalizing on new talent — guitarist and composer Simaro, singer Kwamy Munsi, singer Mulamba Mpanya, saxophonist Verckys, among others.

By the mid-1960s, it was now evident that OK Jazz was the biggest musical ensemble in Congo, with songs like “Somele” becoming instant hits. “1966 was the band’s most creative year,” opines William Naz Okoko, while counting more than 50 hit songs of that year, most of them pachanga and bolero subgenres.

Indeed, as much as the band’s guitar formation of Simaro on rhythm with Franco on solo soared in the 1960s, with stiff rivalry from the rival formation of Bavon and Bholen at Negro on bolero, with Vicky Longomba — often referred to as the king of bolero — OK Jazz had very minimal competition.

The band expanded significantly going into the 1970s, with new talents like singers Youlou Mabiala, Josky Kiambukuta, Ndombe Opetum, and others. In the 1980s, Franco spent most of his time abroad in Europe rather than in his native DRC. He was literally globetrotting. When he wasn’t in Europe, he was touring either the USA or Africa. Petit Pierre, aka Pierre Monongi Mopia, narrated to this writer how successful their tours were in Ndola and Lusaka in Zambia. In one of the shows, they had to perform a just-composed song for President Kaunda without any prior rehearsal.

Franco had done and recorded songs for Presidents Léon Mba of Gabon, Eyadema Gnassingbé of Togo, and a host of local Congolese politicians — Bomboko, Kisombe, Luton Mpboti, and others. For Mobutu, he did more than a dozen songs, some on his own volition, while others he was hired to do.

Franco was in a love-hate relationship with Mobutu. In an attempt to dig out Franco’s religiosity and learn how he became a Muslim, this writer learned that Franco never even practiced Islam. That was just a clever trick to beat Mobutu, who had formed a habit of asking Franco to perform at his children’s birthdays, something Franco never liked. Once he converted to Islam, he’d decline such invitations, citing nonconformity to his new religion.

The sheer musical genius of Franco and the country’s love for music made Franco so popular that Mobutu always tried to find a way to associate with him. This, Franco capitalized on and gained much from the arrangement, though his indifference to Mobutu on some issues was also glaring.

This nearly godly status of Franco has not been enjoyed by other musicians before or after him. On guitar alone, Franco belonged to the trinity of the greatest from Congo, which also had Dr. Nico Kasanda and Papa Noel. Alastair Johnston, an American musicologist who has made a bold attempt at documenting African music, points to an instance where Nico passed by Franco’s Un Deux Trois and was able to blend with the band and play Franco’s songs with much ease — as a pointer that Dr. Nico may have had an edge over Franco on guitar, as he doubted if Franco would easily imitate Nico’s guitar.

Otherwise, apart from these comparisons on guitar, it seems that in any other aspect, Luambo was incomparable. He was in a class of his own. True to the words of Mangwana, as captured in Ewen Greame’s book on Franco, it takes the world a century or so to produce a Franco. He was indeed iconic.

Music lovers surely miss him. A series of concerts has been planned to mark his 36th anniversary in Nairobi, Paris, and Kinshasa. Among them is a Jabulani Radio Franco 36th Anniversary Fete to be held at Hotel Mercury at the heart of Nairobi CBD on October 18th. This is one man the world isn’t in any hurry to forget.

By Jerome Ogola

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This song tells the history of a city that began as an arena for barter trade, or "Sumo," where communities exchanged the goods they produced for those from their neighbors. It wasn’t until the railway arrived that the traditional sounds which defined the area began to disappear, gradually giving way to modern influences.

"Ndege aidho tera Winam yeeh Aidho gari tera Wigot Mtoka aidho tera Kisumu Aidho meli tera Winam Boda boda soya Kondele"

This verse, which lists the modes of transport one can use to travel to various parts of the town, introduces the geography of Kisumu. The city sits on the shores of Lake Victoria, previously known as "Nam Lolwe" before colonialism.

Depending on your destination, your transport could be a bicycle taxi, train, matatu, boat, or airplane. The song sparked curiosity among those who had never set foot in the town.

The song made Suzanna an instant celebrity as it became central to the centenary celebrations. But who is Suzanna Owiyo? The songbird was born in the rocky highlands of Upper Nyakach, in a village known as Kasaye, in what is now Kisumu County, in 1975. At that time, it was Kisumu District.

She was born into a polygamous family of fourteen children. She grew up in Thika, Central Kenya, which exposed her to different cultures. Coming from a family with a renowned orutu player, she developed an interest in music early in life while still in school.

After completing her studies, she took up odd jobs in the city, even as the urge to become a musician kept growing. Her debut came when she joined Sally Oyugi as a backup vocalist. Later, she switched to become a singer with Bora Bora Sounds, which performed in various spots around the city.

Her big break came with "Kisumu 100," which she composed for the city’s centennial celebrations. Kisumu was founded in 1901, so the event was marked in 2001. The song gave her national fame and made her a household name. It even earned her a Kora Award in 2000.

Apart from performing at Kisumu’s centennial celebrations before an audience that included regional presidents, Suzanna also performed at the Nobel Prize ceremony in Oslo when Professor Wangari Maathai received her laureate. She also graced Nelson Mandela’s birthday celebrations in Hyde Park, London, in 2008, and has performed in several other African cities.

With her easy style and the stylish acoustic guitar she strums along to during her performances, Suzanna has also charmed award organizers. Her music has earned her a Kisima Award, Kenya’s equivalent of the Grammy.

Suzanna’s rise placed her firmly in the country’s top league of female musicians, a space once dominated by great voices such as Queen Jane, Babito, Princess Jully, and Achieng Abura. Unlike many of her peers, she carved a unique niche by blending traditional Luo instrumentation with contemporary rhythms, an art that made her music appeal to both the older rural folk and the urbane youth.

Her artistry demonstrated that women could not only sing and dance but also lead bands and excel as instrumentalists.

Though she hasn’t released many songs, some of her most popular works, apart from "Kisumu 100," include "Mama Africa," "Yamo Kudho," and "Malaika." Suzanna, who is married and has a child, is also a devoted activist and participates in numerous awareness campaigns, as was the case during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Away from music, she is developing an art center in Riat to help nurture young talent. Most women who have excelled in music have been vocalists or dancers, but rarely instrumentalists. As one of the few female musicians who is also an instrumentalist, Suzanna Owiyo is truly iconic.

By The Rumba Monk

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If one were to sample the best benga songs recorded in the last decade, there would be very little, if anything, from the genre's ancestral home in Nyanza. It's Kamba musicians who've, over time, remained faithful to this music, which has also been identified as the most predominant beat in Kenya, especially after the decline of twist.

Is benga on its way to extinction?

This is a reality that should worry music enthusiasts and stakeholders. Nyanza was the bastion of benga in the 1970s and 1980s. The music was played at almost all social functions, both recorded and live concerts. Musicians were the biggest superstars in town.

Celebrity gossip around the genre was the in-thing, and every move by a musician—a new release, a defection, or otherwise—was keenly followed by fans. That's not the case today. It's not just about the decline in enthusiasm for the music; it's also about emerging genres like ohangla dethroning benga. Furthermore, some other musicians are doing a type of benga that bends toward Congolese rumba, in a way that makes the genre lose its identity rapidly.

Sampling songs from top musicians in the region, such as Prezda Bandason, Johnny Junior, and Odhiambo Tusker, one notices how far the genre has derailed from its former self. This is in stark contrast to the benga created by Collela Mazee, D.O. Misiani, and Okatch Biggy, a genre that was defined by dominant solo guitar riffs plucked in the melody of the vocals and timed interchangeably with the singing.

The genre also featured a unique rhythm guitar—sometimes two of them—that, together with a high-tempo drum, provided the template for the song. The music didn't feature other spices like saxophones, trumpets, keyboards, or extra percussion. Thematically, the genre was predominantly centered on love, though some songs were composed to praise iconic individuals. Today, the music is much closer to Congolese rumba, with some musicians even picking lines in Lingala, playing the guitar in the rumba style, and extending the average length of songs beyond the four to five minutes that defined traditional benga. With this, it's almost safe to conclude that benga is on its way out.

The decline in the genre is also noticeable in Central Kenya. Whereas Kamaru, D.K., Peter Kigia, Queen Jane, and Musaimo made it big in the 1970s and 1980s, mugithi and the one-man guitar craze seem to have dethroned benga from the central position it occupied in its golden days. Although some musicians like Joe Mopero are still recording and performing benga in its original form, it's almost safe to conclude that the vibrancy of the genre in the local music scene has significantly eroded.

It's only in Ukambani that the vibrancy of benga seems to be thriving. Every upcoming musician struggles to learn the guitar, which is the engine that drives benga. Musicians like Tumbo can play all the instruments, a far cry from an ohangla musician from Nyanza who may not be able to play any particular instrument. A typical YouTube video by Hiramix Mwendwa, Mwalili Junior, or Jose Tosh, focusing on rhythm, solo, and bass, presents a sound closer to the original benga beat by Collela Mazee and other pioneers than what's being produced today in Nyanza.

Ukambani musicians have capitalized on technological advancements to bring benga to a new audience rather than adulterating the genre. For example, Alex Kasau records his practice sessions and studio work at his Kisinga Studios and posts them on YouTube. This provides fans with an insightful experience of how benga is made, something that was previously unseen.

Whereas advancements in technology have often been blamed for degrading creativity, in some cases, they have enhanced it. For lovers of unadulterated benga, these YouTube episodes are apt platforms to celebrate talent. With benga disappearing by mutating into something else in other regions, Kamba musicians have, over the years, retained its true identity in a way that the pioneer musicians of the region would be proud of were they to come back to life.

Apart from twist, which was very popular in the 1960s, other genres considered Kenyan include chakacha and bango from the Coast, ohangla from Nyanza, and many others from across the country. However, none spread as widely in Kenya and beyond as benga, hence becoming the country's musical identity.

Kamba musicians should now continue popularizing it to restore its dwindling fame.

By Jerome Ogola

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These are the words of Lenga, former bandleader of O Rangers, the official band of 9KR, a KDF infantry force domiciled at Moi Barracks in Eldoret.

Jabulani Radio had sought his insights on the evolution of Kenya’s military bands, but in the course of the conversation, the discussion veered into the broader subject of music, its consumption, and its shifting fortunes. Lenga, who had led O Rangers for years, explained that the band folded after military sponsorship dwindled. Among the reasons for the reduced sponsorship were changing trends in how people consume music.

In the 1970s and 1980s, live bands were the heartbeat of entertainment joints, pulling crowds eager for authentic performances. Today, however, many such joints have been redesigned with European League football matches as the main attraction. Technology has also transformed the landscape. One no longer needs to attend a concert to watch their favorite musician. YouTube has brought the performance to every phone screen.

Yet, Lenga emphasized, the one surviving thread that live concerts hang on is authenticity. Another dedicated rumba fan, Emmanuel Ekakoro, for instance, will still go out of their way to attend a live show not just for the atmosphere but because studio recordings rarely capture the elusive signature of the musician. Most tracks today are heavily programmed by computer software, stripping away the artistry, luster, and spontaneity that once defined great performances.

Despite these challenges, Lenga believes all is not lost. While nightclubs are shrinking as revenue streams for musicians, churches are opening up new opportunities. A skilled guitarist can earn more in a weekend playing in church than in a secular concert. He noted that the gospel industry has transformed. In the past, choirs thrived on vocal harmonies, later accompanied by keyboards. Today, many churches prefer full live bands. This demand has made secular musicians some of the most sought-after performers on weekends, often playing at multiple services for lucrative pay. The better the band, the more attendees a church attracts. Some contemporary churches also stream their services online, further amplifying musicians’ reach and visibility.

This shift partly explains the exodus of many top secular musicians into the gospel world. Big names such as Bibiley Kabakaba, a guitar legend with Les Kinois in the 1970s and 80s, have crossed over. Shango Lola, formerly of Boma Liwanza, is thriving in gospel, and so is Bwamy Walumona, the Les Mangelepa veteran now based in Norway.

Many churches hire professionals who aren’t necessarily church members for their music teams, creating a new demand for talent. Given the nature of competition, with every church struggling to outdo the other in a stiff competition for worshippers, this means several of these musicians who are good enough have to shuffle between several churches in a weekend, and the churches also pay well in a bid to retain them.

When giving the interview, Lenga was coming from a local KAG church, where he is hired to play guitar. He said the venture is lucrative. Whereas some musicians quit secular music for good, some juggle between secular and gospel. When I asked him why not convert to gospel music for good, his response was that recorded music, whether gospel or secular, isn’t as sought after as live performances.

But the thirst for authentic beats is not confined to the church. Fans are increasingly turning away from stations and online platforms that churn out digitized, computer-driven content and gravitating toward outlets that preserve older, rawer genres. Stations that play rumba, reggae, taarab, makossa, benga, and other traditional sounds are registering growing listenership, often at the expense of those pushing glossy, computerized hits.

Stations like Jabulani Radio, which deliberately avoids most contemporary content in favor of authentic African music, are gaining ground even among demographics that were previously disinterested. It is no longer strange to hear a teenager singing along to a rumba or benga track, something that would have been unthinkable only a few years ago.

The adjustments in music creation and consumption continue, but one reality remains unchanged: the thirst for raw musical talent. It may bend under technology and changing tastes, but it never breaks.

By Jerome Ogola

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As much as one would have expected the anniversary of such an icon to be marked with numerous musical activities, there were no widely publicized events to commemorate him. However, the silence doesn't erase his significant contribution to Nairobi's music industry over the decades.

Kalenga Nzazi was one of the three major pillars that Les Mangelepa, christened "the last band standing," stood on in the recent past. The others are fellow singers Lutulu Kaniki, also known as Macky, and Kabila Kabanze, also known as Evany.

Mangelepa is one of the expatriate Congolese bands that made it big in Nairobi in the 1970s and 1980s. The band luckily managed to survive the turbulent winds of defections and immigration to Europe and the US, and it kept Nairobi dancing until a few years ago.

Mangelepa was a household name in Kenya. Their song "Embakasi," composed by Kalenga, is arguably Nairobi's most played song on radio, in entertainment joints, in public service vehicles (PSVs), and at other social events. The song, dedicated to his girlfriend Moraa, captures the emotional moments of a man flying to a destination away from his loved ones.

After a stint as a carpenter in Lubumbashi in the late 1960s, Kalenga joined Baba Gaston Illunga Wa Illunga's band, Baba National. The story of Kalenga cannot be told in isolation; it is conjoined to that of the Mangelepa band, which has recorded hundreds of songs, according to later-day leader Kabila Kabanze. In search of greener pastures away from the music-saturated Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), this band found its way to East Africa in 1973 after a brief stay in Zambia and Malawi.

According to American writer Alastair Johnston, who has extensively researched African music and documented the history on his blog "Congo in Kenya," Baba Gaston's band, which first set foot in Tanzania in 1973, is the group that opened the floodgates for Congolese musicians into East Africa.

In 1975, Baba National relocated to Nairobi from Dar es Salaam. After several performances and recording sessions in Nairobi, the band thought better prospects awaited them in Kenya's capital, whose music industry was more vibrant, at least in those days.

The band performed at Uhuru Park for a year before a major split occurred, with several star musicians quitting to create their own ensemble. Among them were solo guitarist Bwamy Walumona, singers Kalenga Nzazi, Kabila Kabanze, Lutulu Kaniki, saxophonist Tabu Ngongo, and trumpeter/singer the late Badibanga Wa Tshilumba, among others. According to Evany, the dispute was caused by a disagreement over money.

That's how Les Mangelepa was born, aptly named from a dance style they had popularized at Baba National. The new kid on the block gave other bands in town a run for their money with great releases, hit after hit. In its heyday, the band toured Mauritius, Malawi, and other countries.

Although it had lost its mojo with the changing times and defections, the band managed to outlive its peers and celebrated forty years of existence with an extensive visit to Europe, performing in England, Germany, and Poland.

"I wouldn't be living this life if it weren't for piracy," the late Kalenga once told a writer, pointing to the house he was living in, within a school compound in Dandora, one of the city's estates.

A man doesn't remain young forever. As old age approaches, musicians, like everyone else, are expected to make a living from what they earned in their youth. But according to Kalenga, the sun may have shone on them, but they couldn't "make any hay" as pirates shielded the rays from them. Nairobi has no pension for the band that kept it dancing, and the musicians have difficulty even sustaining themselves.

Certainly, Nairobi will not be in a hurry to forget the stars of Les Mangelepa. Their footprints are too glaring to easily fade away.

By Jerome Ogola

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"Testament Ya Bowule" is a heartfelt elegy written in 1986 by Simaro Massiya Lutumba and performed by Franco and Le T.P.O.K. Jazz, featuring vocals by Malage de Lugendo (and sometimes Carlyto Lassa). Composed in Lingala, it laments the death of Bowule, a friend of Simaro, through the testimony of her bereaved sister. Simaro then digests this, conveying deep grief, questions about mortality, and the powerlessness of money against death. A cornerstone of Congolese rumba, its evocative lyrics and moving performance have solidified its status as a timeless classic, widely revered for its emotional resonance and cultural importance within the T.P.O.K. Jazz catalog.

In the song, Simaro is in disbelief, questioning God and the purpose of life and death. The opening lines, "Oh God, you have created life / People become ill / White men make medications, for people to heal," express a feeling of helplessness and frustration, especially when medicine couldn't save Bowule. The line, "If it were only for money, Bowule wouldn’t have died," portrays how the family did everything they could, highlighting the tragedy of a life lost regardless of effort or wealth. He further seeks to know where people go after death.

The song is a powerful exploration running from grief, love, and loss. It shows how the death of one person can have a ripple effect, causing emotional and even spiritual turmoil for those left behind. The references to friends, family, and specific places like Matonge (a neighborhood in Kinshasa) and Brussels, Paris, and Rome ground the song in a real-world context are a part of painting a picture of true events. This is a true reflection of relatable events in our daily life, making the pain feel even more personal, relatable, and universal.

Listen to the song here

LET'S NOW DIVE INTO THE LYRICS

Oh Nzambé 
(Oh God)
Osala bomowi bwa moto
(you have created life)
Moto akoya ko kutana na malade
(People become ill)
Mondelé pe asali kisi po moto abika
(White men make medications for people to heal)
Vraiment soki ezalaki po na mbongo ndé Bowulé a kufi té
(Really, if it were only for money, Bowule wouldn’t have died)
Po famille asali nioso
(Because the family did everything)
Nzambé , pona nini liwa?
(God, why death)
Ah somo, na ndimaki té, hum
(Ah, scary, I didn’t believe, um)

Testament.. ba ndeko na kotanga na ko zongela eh
(Testament, fellows, I am reading and rereading it)
Maloba ya Bowulé baninga na kotanga nako lela eh
(The will that Bowule wrote, friends, I am reading while crying)
Nazangi na mokili oh ba famille bosali nga mabé
(I lost.. family, you have done me wrong)
Massiya na sala fielé wapi oh mokili esilisi nga lolendo lelo na ndimi
(Massiya, how can I show off? The joke is on me.)

Testatement.. ba ndeko na kotanga na ko zongela eh
(Testament, fellows, I am reading and rereading it.)
Maloba ya Bowulé baninga na kotanga nako lela eh
(The will that Bowule wrote, friends, I am reading while crying.)
Nazangi na mokili oh binemi bo liesi nga poison
(I lost.. rivals, you fed me with poison.)
Luambo na sala fielé wapi oh mokili esilisi nga lolendo lelo na ndimi
(Luambo, how can I show off? The joke is on me.)

Liwa ya Bowulé sango lokola nkaké na motoyi eh
(The death of Bowule was like a lightning sound in my ear.)
Epesi nga liboma, na zangi likambo nga na sala
(I went crazy not knowing what to do.)
Mbongo eloko pamba, ekoki ko somba liwa te
(Money is useless; it cannot purchase death.)

Ya Bowulé.. lobi na pasi otali nga oseki
(Ya Bowule oh, yesterday, while you were ill, you looked at me and laughed.)
Opekisi nga ko lela eh, kasi olakaki nga okobika
(You stopped me from crying, and you promised me that you will be well.)
Nzoka oyebaki ozali kokende
(Whereas you knew that you were about to die.)
Okosi nga nde ko kosa, nakeyi kolala yo okati motema
(You lied to me, while I was asleep, you passed away.)
Ata liloba ya suka, Josée yo méchante mama
(Without saying a last word, Jose, you are bad.)

Ya Bowulé lobi na pasi otali nga oleli
(Ya Bowule oh, yesterday, while ill, you looked at me and cried)
Obombeli nga sekele oh kasi oyebaki oko kufa
(You kept the secret, you knew that you would die)
Olobi na nga na kende kolala eh
(You told me to go to sleep)
Okosi nga nde ko kosa, sima na nga y’okati motema
(You lied to me, you died while I was gone)
Olingaki na zala te, Josée yo méchante mama
(You didn’t want me to be there, Jose, you are bad)

Ya Josée, oh Bowulé osali ngaï mabé
(Ya Jose oh, and Bowule, you have done me wrong)
Ngaï Mathy eh na somba ndeko na mboka nini oh
(Me, Mati, eh, where can I purchase a relative?)
Baninga nioso moto na ndeko nayé
(All friends have relatives)
Josée osilisi nga lolendo eh na lala wapi oh mama
(Jose, you have removed my pride, what can I do)

Nzela ya Bruxelles, Paris na Rome bako tuna ngaï
(Brussels, Paris, and Rome are asking me)
Nako zanga eyano liloba nini otiki na yebisa bango ngaï mayi na miso eh Josée
(I have nothing to say to them. What do you want me to tell them? I am crying, Jose.)
Ya Bowulé oh butu ya lundi na moni yo na ndoto
(Ya Bowule oh, you appeared in my dream on Monday night)
Olati kitoko eh pe osalisi feti ya mo néné sima ya mwa ngonga obengi nga pembeni eh
(You were well dressed and gave a big party. After a while, you called me on the side.)
Olakisi nga nde bana kasi oboyi kotala nga na miso
(You showed me the kids, but you didn’t want to look me in the eyes)
Bowulé na nga osiliki nzoka ndoto ya mokouya mama ah
(My Bowule, you were upset, it was a bad dream)

Ya Bowulé oh mardi na midi oyambi nga na koseka
(Ya Bowule oh, you greeted me with a laugh on Tuesday)
Yo na pasi ya liwa kasi olingaki ngaï na yeba te oh
(You knew that you would die, but you didn’t tell me)
Olobi na nga oyoki mwa nzala eh, na lambela yo pepe soupou
(You told me that you were hungry and ordered some soup)
Nakeyi ko lamba sima okati motema
(While I was gone, you passed away)
Olingaki na zala te liwa eyoki nga soni mama
(You didn’t want me to be there, death was shy)

Bowulé na ngaï eh butu wana kutu na lalaki te oh
(My Bowule, I didn’t sleep that night)
Ba mboua ba kolela eh suki ekomi ko telema
(Dogs were barking, my hair straightened)
Sima ya mwa ngonga ba beti ndanko eh
(After a while, I heard knocks on the door)
Nake mbangou ko fongola na moni famille mobimba ba ko lela
(I rushed to open it, and I saw the whole family crying)
Bowulé na nga okufi Bowulé okosi nga eh mama
(My Bowule, you are dead, you lied to me)

Bowulé na ngaï eh butu wana kutu na lalaki te oh
(My Bowule, I didn’t sleep that night)
Ba ndoto mabé oh nase ya pongi nakomi ko nganga
(The night was full of bad dreams, and I began to shout)
Sima ya mwa ngonga ba beti ndango eh
(After a while, I heard a knock on my door)
Nake mbangou ko fongola na kuti famille mobimba ba ko lela
(I rushed to open it, and I found the whole family crying)
Bowulé na nga okufi Bowulé oboyi biso eh mama
(My Bowule, you are dead, Bowule, you don’t want us anymore)

Ya Bowulé oh mardi na midi oyambi nga na koseka
(Ya Bowule oh, at noon on Tuesday, you greeted me with a laugh)
Yo na pasi ya liwa kasi olingaki ngaï na yeba te oh
(You were fighting with death, but you didn’t want me to know)
Olobi na nga oyoki mwa nzala eh, na lambela yo pepe soupou
(You told me that you were hungry and ordered some soup)
Nakeyi ko lamba sima okati motema
(I went to cook, and you died while I was gone)
Olingaki na zala te, Josée oyoki nga soni mama ah
(You didn’t want me to be there, Jose, you were shy)

Malou ya lumambé na Bowulé botiki Suza nako lela
(Malu ya Lumambe and Bowule, you left Suza crying)
A zangi ba camarades, moziki 100 kilos balati nde mokouya
(She lost friends, Rebate 100 kilos has lost someone)
Liwa ezaki nzela ya moto nioso eh bino boweli kokende
(Everyone dies, you have preceded us)
Mboka bokeyi biso to yebi te oh
(We don’t know the town that you went to)
Bo bombela biso esika mokolo toko ya oh Malou na Bowulé oh
(Malu and Bowule, save places for us)

Ba mama ya Fekoza eh likambo lizwinga lileki mo néné
(Team FECOZA, I am faced with a problem)
B’ami ya Matongé likambo lizwinga epesi nga liboma eh
(Friends from Matonge, this problem drives me crazy)
Moziki 100 kilos likambo lizwinga eleki nga nzoto
(Rabate 100 Kilos, this problem is too much)
Kusala ema Lusansou likambo ekomisi nga zoba
(Kosala Emma Lusansu, this problem drives me crazy)
Nga ma Josée mwana ya nsuka nakota 100 kilos likolo na yo eh
(Me, Ma Jose, last born, I gained 100 Kilos because of you)
Nakomi ko mi tuna eh soki na se ya liwa toko kutanaka
(I begin to wonder if people meet again after death)
Est-ce que nako mona Bowulé lisusu atiki liloba te oh Josée wa ba santu mama
(Will I see Bowule again? She didn’t leave any instructions.)

Oh yahweh
(Oh God)
Ndengué osala biso otinda biso awa na mokili
(We all have preferences; you sent us to this world)
Moto na moto azali na lingomba na yé a sambelaka 
(Each person is part of a particular religion)
Ba mosusu basambelaka na Catholique
(Some people are Catholic)
Ba mosusu na mission Protestante
(Some Protestant)
Ba mosusu na Armée du salut
(Some Salvation Army)
Ba mosusu na ba Musulmans
(Some Muslim)
Ba mosusu na Kimbanguiste
(Some Kimbanguist)
Ba mosusu na Mpevé ya longo
(Some Mpeve Ya Longo)
Ba mosusu na Mahikari
(Some Maikari)

Nzambé ndengué to yokaka mangomba nioso wana na tangi
(God, we hear that, all these religions)
Bayebi que soki moto a kufi ba yebi epayi moto akendeke
(Know where we go when we die)
Est-ce que Yahweh okoki ko yebisa bango mokolo mosusu
(God, can you ask them to tell us one day?)
Ba yebisa biso epayi to kendeke té ?
(Where we go)
Nzambé po to yebi epayi to wutaka te mais to yeba quand meme epayi tokendeke
(God, we don’t know where we come from, can we know at least where we go next?)
Oko mona mwasi na mobali ba vandi 
(You will see a couple together)
Moko na bango akeyi, oyo ako tikala nzoto be ko kondo ko kondo
(One of them dies, the one who will stay alive carries on losing weight)
Mikolo eko leka te alandi moninga
(A few days later, he/she also dies)
Nzambé mawa
(God, it’s sad.)
Toyebi epayi tokendeke te 
(We don’t know where we go)
Nzambé, to yaka ko tala obe yo
(God, we rely on you)
Bowulé pesela biso mboté na bango banso oyo to yebi oyo bakendè
(Bowule greet everyone who has died)
Bino ba Angelus bato bozali pene pene ya Nzambé bo yebisela biso ye té ? 
(On our behalf, you angels, the people who are closer to God, why don’t you talk to him?)
ah pitié
(Ah, sad)

By Papa Juma

Jabulani Radio

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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, radio obituaries were the most reliable way to share bereavement information.

“There was a time I had to redo an obituary to retract a death announcement after the relatives who had submitted it returned to say the deceased had resurrected,” Omuga Kabisae once recalled during Living Legends, a KBC feature documenting notable figures of the past.

Some of his contemporaries on the radio included Billy Omala, Anunda Sakwa, Elizabeth Obege, and Khadija Ali, among others. With his authoritative voice laced with a Luo accent, Kabisae was also a lover of classical music and frequently hosted musical shows.

There are certain songs that instantly bring his memory to mind, one being Maneno ni Sumu by Tanzanian artist Nzing Nzong, performed with the makeshift band Bima Lee, sponsored by an insurance company. Kabisae would sometimes sing along to its lyrics on air.

He will be fondly remembered as a broadcasting pioneer from a time when radio was one of the most important tools of communication in Kenya.

By Jerome Ogola

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A photo of Jeannot with Sam Mangwana, posted on Facebook by an enthusiast of Congolese rumba, Herman Bangi, rekindled memories of their days at Vox Africa, a band Jeannot formed with Franklin Boukaka in 1959. It was noteworthy that even Mangwana himself, at 80, has outlived most of his peers, bringing into sharp attention the longevity of Jeannot, who is more than a decade older.

Mangwana debuted in the mid-1960s with African Fiesta of Dr. Nico and Tabu Ley while still a teenager and a student. In fact, police wanted to pounce on him and arrest him because it was illegal for a student to enter a nightclub in those days. Most of his peers, Kwamy Munsi, René Kasanda, Ndombe Opetum, Johnny Bokasa, etc., are all gone. However, some, like Youlou and Dizzy are still alive.

Jeannot was among the very first lot of the second generation of Congolese musicians. Among the first musicians were Camille Feruzi, Paul Kamba, Manuel D’Oliveira, Leon Bukasa, Henrique Tinapa, Adou Elenga, Henri Bowane, among others. This was a lot that was in their 20s in the 1940s. For example, Camille was born in 1912. They are all dead. The last one to die was Wendo Kolosoy, who was born in 1924 and died in 2008 at the age of 84.

Jeannot Bombenga’s age-mates include Dr. Nico, who was born in 1938 and died in 1985 at the age of 47, and Isaac Musekiwa, who was born in 1930 and died in 1990 at the age of 60. Most of them began their music journeys in the mid-1950s, and that was the case with Jeannot Bombenga.

He was first employed as a boat mechanic and coxswain on the vessels that plied the navigable waters of the River Congo, also known as Ebale Ya Zaire in Lingala, the local language. It was while on duty that he bumped into a passenger known as Joseph Kabasele, also known as Grand Kallé, who in the mid-1950s was the biggest musician in DRC, then Zaire.

His band, African Jazz, was a household name and a national treasure, having been established in 1953 as the first fully professional band. Jeannot struck a rapport with his passenger, and that’s when it dawned on Grand Kallé that Jeannot was deeply interested in music.

Given his ethnic background, the Mongo, Jeannot was a natural storyteller, an attribute that made composing songs a walk in the park for him. Grand Kallé mentored him and helped him create Vox Africa in 1959, alongside Franklin Boukaka, another big name of the era.

However, it was not until 1963 that Jeannot Bombenga came into the limelight. This was after the big bang that happened at African Jazz, which saw several bigwigs quit Grand Kallé’s band, among them Dr. Nico, Tabu Ley, Willy Kuntima, Charles Mwamba, Roger Izeidi, among others. This team created a splinter group known as African Fiesta.

The resultant void forced Grand Kallé to recruit a new batch of musicians. Among them was Jeannot Bombenga, an already established name in the industry. He could compose, arrange, play maracas, and sing. He was a big asset to this new team that also included soloist Damoiseau Kambite, the wizard who later featured for Afrisa in the early '80s. He is the one strumming in “Monsieur Malonga.”

The others were alto saxophonist and veteran first-generation musician Maproco, and a vocal formation comprising Alex, Rolly, Matheus Kouka, and Grand Kallé. The rhythmist was Casino Mutshipule, very accomplished at the task and considered among the finest. The tenor saxophonist was Michel Sax, also called Yuma Kasongo.

Some of the songs that came out from this team included the famous “BB 69,” “Ilunga Zepherina,” among others. This team also sought the services of Papa Noël.

However, Bombenga didn't last long with the revamped African Jazz and went back to his own Vox Africa. Here he teamed up with Mangwana, Ntesa Dalienst, Papa Noël, and Coco Kanyinda, who later starred with Les Mangelepa, among others.

This is the band that made Ntesa a superstar. This is also the band that earned Jeannot Bombenga a place in the rumba Congolaise hall of fame. Songs like “Yekoke,” “Magi,” and “Feza Margarita,” among others, were born. This band specialized in the Fiesta school of rumba and, alongside Tabu Ley, became the most successful of Tabu Ley’s protégés.

Jeannot Bombenga quit active music but has been attending national functions and music-related events as an icon.

By Jerome Ogola

Jabulani Radio

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On May 17th, poor Freshley Mwamburi will once again be at the airport, awaiting the touchdown of a Japanese flight from Tokyo because, apparently, one of the passengers on board is his lover, Stella. This is a story that the country relives every May, mainly for the drama so vividly captured by the composer.

Apart from the viral Kasongo, originally sung by the Congolese expatriate band in Nairobi, Super Mazembe, another song that has achieved iconic status in Kenya is Stella by Freshley Mwamburi. This evergreen song has become an internet sensation, perhaps because it resonates deeply with a common narrative: the tale of women accused of taking advantage of men, often under the pretense of traveling to meet them or only to swindle them in a scheme that has come to be known by the phrase ‘kula fare,’ which loosely translates to swindling fare.

Mwamburi’s song narrates the breathtaking moment when a woman, supposedly the same Stella he supported financially, including selling off his farm and car to fund her education abroad, disembarks from a plane. She’s holding an infant and is accompanied by her four-foot-tall Japanese husband.
Unsure how to react, Freshley attempts to cry in the few languages he knows. He fails to do so in Kamba but manages to mumble a few words in Dholuo: "An atim ang'o jowa, Freshley?" ("What do I do, Freshley?"). The story highlights the frustration many men experience after investing heavily in women’s education, only to be abandoned when the women finish school and become independent.

This reality is not uncommon, but there are few platforms that address it. Perhaps that’s why Mwamburi’s emotionally charged artistic portrayal has struck such a chord with the public. It has left some men depressed and some suicidal. It is a theme that so much resonates with many people, only that it remains a lacuna, mostly unaddressed. Is the story real? The singer has, on several occasions, implied it is. However, a closer look suggests it may not be entirely true. In earlier interviews, Freshley claimed the story was fictional and just a song.

However, in more recent interviews, he maintains it reflects a true personal experience. "I met Stella in 1991 when I went to perform at the Garden Hotel in Machakos after my band, Everest Kings, relocated from Thika," Freshley told a local daily. "At the time, Stella was studying at the University of Nairobi, but she left for Japan in 1992 to further her studies. She later told me she wanted to settle down, and I gave her my blessings. She briefly returned to Kenya before relocating to Tanzania with her Japanese husband." From an objective standpoint, it's unlikely the song recounts events exactly as they happened.

If Stella had truly chosen to settle with someone else, would she still have chosen to travel on the exact date her former lover was waiting for her at the airport? That part feels contrived. The story may be partly true, exaggerated for effect, or entirely fictional, dramatized to better capture the public’s imagination. There’s also a tendency, especially among rumba musicians, to craft stories in songs that don’t directly reflect the life of the person being honored. A musician might pay tribute to someone by weaving in an unrelated narrative simply to keep the audience engaged.

That said, beyond the story, Stella is backed by a beautifully captivating melody that helps it stick in the minds of listeners. Including a specific date in the lyrics was a masterstroke; it has turned “Waiting for Stella” into an annual cultural moment. By other measures, however, Stella may not necessarily be Mwamburi’s most musically sophisticated work, particularly when judged by instrumentation alone.

Freshley, who hails from Kenya’s coast, began his musical journey with the legendary Simba Wanyika in 1983 before joining its offshoot, Les Wanyika, in 1987. There, he contributed to classics like Lipi La Ajabu and Mama Watoto. Later, alongside Abdul Muyonga, he helped form Mavalo Kings, which was later rebranded to Everest Kings, likely to reflect their aspirations for greater heights. True to this ambition, Everest Kings has produced several remarkable hits, including Panga Mipango, Siri Moyoni, Rebecca, Pete, Visa, and Bonanza Simu, songs that have enjoyed massive popularity on the radio and in clubs.

No doubt, this May 17th, fans will once again renew their love for this classic tale of heartbreak and nostalgia, Stella by Freshley Mwamburi.

By Jerome Ogola

Jabulani Radio

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