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ODM Party Leader Raila Odinga has been engaging creatives since he hit the campaign trail. Just days after releasing his first single, a rendition of Lelo ni Lelo by Benga composer, instrumentalist and singer Emmanuel Musindi, he is back with another single.
This time around featuring Bahati. The single, dubbed Fire, sees a couple of politicians feature in the video acting as vixens, while Bahati praises Baba as a way of selling his manifesto.
Netizens quickly noticed that this was a money-making scheme and the majority have pointed out.
“Aki pesa wewe....,” posted Maina Kageni. “Kijana hukulia hizi campaigns mbaya. The last I checked alisema story na campaigns hatakua,” said Joe De Bestt.
This does not come as a surprise since Baba hit the studios to release his first song. Lelo ni Lelo translates to leo ni leo - a Swahili phrase that means today is the day - which is a rallying call to action. The song was recorded in Karen and Kawangware. “Baba is now a singer. He is an artiste, a creative, a musician,” said Julius Owino, better-known as Maji Maji.
The artiste is one half of the Gidi Gidi Maji Maji duo, whose Unbwogable political anthem remains the most memorable since the 2002 electioneering season.
Maji Maji works for the Azimio la Umoja secretariat, the team behind Raila’s presidential campaign. “He (Raila) asked me why I would not do another song since Unbwogable… and I thought of myself, Baba, a presidential aspirant can sing. And with that the idea to record him came about,” said Maji Maji. ?
