Musical farewell for zilizopendwa star Matee Festo

Rosemary Kathini Matee (right), the first wife of the late rhumba maestro Matee Festo flanked by a friend as she eulogised her husband during his burial on July 4, 2020 at their Ithookwe home in Kitui County. [Philip Muasya]

For over three decades, Utawala Jazz Band of the Administration Police (AP) captured the psyche of Kenyans with its scintillating songs fused with a great combination of musical instruments and melodious voices.

However, many would perhaps not know that Matee Festo who was buried yesterday at his Ithookwe home in Kitui County led the band since 1982 when he joined the disciplined forces and was the brain behind the band’s success. Two of his greats hits are Kazi ya askari and Stellah.