Legislators are joining the world craze with a recording next week

Machakos County staff do their version of Jerusalema dance challenge. [Maxwel Agwanda, Standard]

When Limpopo-born hitmaker Kgoagelo Moagi, popularly known as Master KG,  released Jerusalema song last year, featuring Nomcebo Zikode, he didn’t know it would become a global hit.

The song has also sparked off a global dance craze that is not about to end. 

And Kenyans have not been spared. Now, Members of Parliament are joining in the global craze with a recording next week.

Besides, the dance and electronic genre, the track is only a one stanza song backed with a catchy refrain and an engaging Kwaito beat.

In the song, the musician is basically telling God he wants Him to walk with him, guard and protect him as this (earth) is not his home, Jerusalem is.

The others prominent word is ‘Ngilondoloze” (Guard me)’ echo, over and over. And just like that it turned into a hit. 

The original video has already hit over 175 million views on YouTube – a record number by all music viewership standards.

The song has caught the world by storm and introduced the world’s biggest dance challenge. Right now, it is the most ‘shazamed’ song round the globe. Shazamed simply means a cool trick, like the abracadabra a magician does.

Popular among the youth, the Jerusalema challenge has simply been a group showcase of their cool dance moves tinged with a slight crazy forward jump, and a ‘hold-up’.

It is an irresistible vogue that has recruited corporate CEOs, wealthy businessmen and politicians back to the dance floor. With cracking bones, even pensioners have their groove back with Jerusalema. Drunkards have their best foot forward and so have the youth. Even on the pulpit, the priests have accepted the song’s call.

About two weeks ago, Mombasa County Governor Hassan Joho led a group of his staff and youth from the county recording their version then shortly afterwards governor Anne Waiguru got Kirinyaga County on the kick.

And then came Machakos County Governor Alfred Mutua and staff who spent an entire weekend perfecting their moves in a much anticipated rendition expected on Monday.

“This is a song that has us all united. That is the kind of aura dance challenges create. It is a happy song. It is magical,” says Victor Muniafu, the CEO, Machawood, the county arm behind the Machakos edition.

The latest group to catch the Jerusalema bug are Kenyan parliamentarians who have been practicing all week before speaker Justin Muturi leads members of the National Assembly and Senate - in the dance on Wednesday next week.

“There is an extra curricula activity being planned next week, which is the bunge Jerusalema challenge. Members have been practising and they are in good shape,” said Leader of Majority, Amos Kimunya.

The Bunge Jerusalema task force is co-chaired by Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo and her Dagoretti South counterpart, John Kiare.

Different parts

“It is a bipartisan initiative for the house to show that there can be peace and diversity. We are from different parts of the country and we just want to show that there is peace in diversity. It is also good as workout,” said Odhiambo. 

 This is not the first dance challenge fad to unite the world through entertainment. It suddenly will not be the last.

Two years ago, King Monada Idibala’s Malwedhe, a sic ‘drunk’ song became a big dance trend world-over. The South African – also popular for his Khelobhedu hit – introduced the hilarious fainting spell style, a craze that ushered Africa into the December 2018 Christmas festivity season.

Back in 2012, comical South Korean singer, rapper and songwriter Park Jae-sang aka Psy, 31, got the world on a rare spin with the Gangnam Style – a dance song that dominated international music charts and won him many accolades as everyone bounced to the beat.