It has been just over a week since reggae stars Eric Donaldson, Half Pint, Pam Hall, Leroy Sibbles, Endel I Major and company landed in Nairobi for the inaugural Having Purpose Rise Up Reggae Music Festival.
The Jamaicans will perform at The Carnivore tomorrow alongside Kenyan heavyweights Nazizi, Lavosti, Abakisimba, Gilad and Sudanese songstress Winnie Lado.
All proceeds from the show will go towards building libraries. While roots reggae fans wait eagerly for tomorrow’s concert, the musicians are doing more than rehearse and repose.
On Sunday, the team were given an informal tour of Kibra after watching a girls’ football match; and later paid a visit to the children at the Cottolengo Orphanage in Karen.
It is reported that Eric Donaldson stopped the caravan mid transit for a taste of roadside mahindi choma (roast maize) and was delighted.
“Seeing Kibera made my heart sore, to see the conditions that people live in. If people work collectively and improve our mind-sets, we can improve our circumstances,” says Donaldson.
He firmly believes that Kibera should be called ‘Kibera City’ and not referred to as a slum.
“Good people live in Kibera, the word slum makes you think badly of people.”
Last Friday, both Kenyan and Jamaican musicians attended a private party, Skiliza Live, in Lavington, alongside Beraccah Kisia, Abakisimba and Duos Band, an upcoming Kenyan brass band.
Guests were sent home with a congregational melody of Rivers of Babylon, led by Half Pint, Pam Hall, Endel I and accompanied by the Rastafari Society of Kenya.
