Thrill like no other as Kenya fetes heroes

Excited Kenyans at Nyayo Stadium.

By GEORGE ORIDO

It was entertainment galore with a heavy main course of golden oldies performed by the original artists as Kenya marked Mashujaa Day Sunday at Nyayo National Stadium.

Notably, President Uhuru Kenyatta paid full attention to the Makigwena Choir’s evergreen classical female acappella Woi that depicts the incarceration of Kenya’s founding father Jomo Kenyatta and his Kapenguria Six team in 1952.

The women who were then in their teenage have not lost an iota of their original vocals that rang out soft and solemn.

“Woi, woi mashujaa waliomba Mzee Kenyatta na wenzake waachiliwe,” they sang dressed in flowing maxi  dresses putting to rest rumours that have been milling about for some time that they all perished in a grisly road accident sometime in the mid-1960s.

Pleasantly, the original composer of the song Mzee Ondego was there, playing the Voice of Kenya’s pre-dawn signature flute instrumental.

The King of Kenya’s soul music Sal Davies rendered his Love You Baby single that saw many in the presidential dais glow with nostalgia. Sal Davies music defined Kenya’s youth culture in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Day for originals

His colleague from the Coast, Teddy Harrison Kalanda — the founder of Them Mushrooms — was also seen after a long lull from the public as he belted out the coastal rumba tunes of Jambo Bwana.

In similar spirit, musician Nabir Sansoor sang Jambo, Jambo Bwana — enumerating Kenya’s breathtaking landscape, wildlife, the sun and its ever friendly and generous people.

When Mwalimu Wasonga hit the ground with the original Muungano National Choir there was no doubt that patriotism was at its best. He soloed his original composition Heko Jamhuri, hailing Kenyans for their independence from Britain 50-years-ago.

Uhuru could be seen clapping, nodding and singing along. He was drawn to tears of joy when Churchill Live’s Mchungaji and Mtumishi duo hit the stage with Bwana Unijaze Roho Nipate Kumshinda Shetani act.

Also, the crowd was swept off their feet when gospel diva Gloria Muliro came in with her Sitolia (I will not cry) hit. In a green kitenge dress with golden flowers, she was in her element as she sang her soothing and compassionate song. At some point she left the crowd to carry the tune on its own to amazing success.

Perhaps the success of this song can be attributed to its resonance to the Kenyan’s who are faced with high levels of inflation, joblessness, poor primary healthcare, terrorism threats and the ICC cases facing two of its top most leaders.

Big Teds’ flash mob was a quick recap of the musical metamorphosis experienced from pre-independence times to today. They danced to Harambee Harambee, Maroon Commandos’ Uvivu, Daudi Kabaka’s Musa, Gabriel Omollo’s Lunch Time and Them Mushroom’s Mtoto si Nguo among other songs.