Artiste who sang 500 songs has nothing to show for it

Francis Chemire recorded over 500 songs in his career. [PHOTO: ANDREW MIBEI

Bomet County: Francis Koech Chemire is one of the most popular Kalenjin musicians alive having joined the music world in 1978. Chemire’s popularity completely contrasts his appearance and it reminds one of Richard Ntiru’s poem ‘Introduction’ where the persona tries to introduce a popular author to his friend but at first it proves quite hard due to the author’s shaggy looks.

Dressed in an old plain light blue coat over an equally old checked second hand shirt, Chemire cuts the figure of a local village mzee driving his cows to the river. Probably due to the rains that have been pounding the region, his black trousers are tucked into old gum boots that show all signs of having seen many days. His slightly balding head inside which rests his creative brain is tucked inside a cream baseball cap.