Collaborating singers win Kisima cash, pitch for charity

Dennis Karanja aka Denno and Daddy Owen whose song, mbona, won the duo Group Artiste of the year award.

By Kevin oguoko

This year’s Kisima awards ceremony took place on Friday night. Minister for Youth Affairs, Ababu Namwamba who was tasked with announcing the winner teased hundreds of eager audience at KICC’s Tsavo Ballroom.

Instead of announcing the winners, he decided to pull a classy act. Flanked by other politicians including Nairobi County gubernatorial aspirant Philip Kisia, he wrote the winner’s name on the dummy cheque held by models.

At stake was Sh2 million cheque for the 2012 Kisima Artiste and Group Winner.

“The winner is Daddy Owen!” He finally shouted as the audience applauded. A thrilled Daddy Owen jumped on stage holding Denno whom they collaborated for the song Mbona.

“I Love you guys,” Denno said. The visually impaired man could not utter more words as tears flowed. Daddy Owen began chanting lines from the track in excitement, as the audience sang along.

The song Mbona won the duo Group Artiste of the Year Award. Denno let the crowd know that he just wants to be recognised for his singing talent.

“I don’t need your sympathy, I need an opportunity,” he said after receiving the award. Mbona is a social awareness song with slow reggae beats and addresses issues affecting the disabled. The singer asks for tolerance from the society pointing out that disability is not inability.

Winning would not have been possible if Owen had chosen a different path weeks ago. The multi awardwinning gospel artiste had withdrawn his nomination from the Kisima awards.

“My fans told me to accept the nomination and reconsider my stand. My decision was not affecting me alone but also Denno whom we collaborated,” a thrilled Owen revealed.

Owen promised to give one million shillings to Denno to finance production of his much-anticipated album while the rest goes to the Mbona Campaign.

The campaign, started by Owen, sets to uplift the welfare of the disabled.

The event, hosted by singer Amina and Solo, marked the 10th anniversary of Kisima with the cream of Kenya’s entertainment industry in attendance.

The competition was tight, as every nominee seemed to be a crowd favourite as the names and clips of their songs flashed across the numerous screens in the hall.

Colour kwa Face, another social awareness song by Genge artist Nonini, bagged the Video of the Year award. It focuses on people with albinism and the rapper was glad it got attention.

The song helped the godfather of Genge bag the Hip Hop Artist award. He was in a tight contest with lyrical genius Octopizzo and Juliani among others.

Music group Camp Mulla who were recently nominated for Channel O Awards, bagged the Upcoming Artiste and Urban Artist awards.

Nameless, riding high with his patriotic track Coming Home bagged the Fusion Artist award. His Ogopa Djs Records’ colleague Avril went home with Boomba Artist of the year.

P-Unit and Sauti Sol, two music groups that collaborated to make the smooth tempo hit Gentleman, won the Collaboration of the year.

In between the award presentations, there were performances. Poetic rapper, Rabbit performed his Shakespeare hit single backed by only three girls dressed in white playing violins.

Achieng Abura performed a Peace song with rapper Collo following with a peace initiative by Kenyan artists to sensitise fans on peaceful coexistence during election campaigns.

Other genres and regions were not left behind. Benga Award went to Otieno Aloka of the Kanungo Eteko fame. The Ragga/Reggae Award went to Wyre and picked by comedian Fred Omondi in his absence. The East African recognition award went to Uganda’s Chameleone.