The beats of power: How African leaders used musicians to spread their influence

Founding President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta acknowledges cheers from groups of traditional dancers and school choirs at State House, Nakuru. [File, Standard]

Perhaps no other world leader relished music and wallowed in it more than the late Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Nza Mbanga, President of Congo/Zaire between 1965 and 1997.

Congolese musicians during his reign outdid themselves to adulate him in song and he in appreciation would take to the dance floor with his younger wife, Bobi Ledama, presidential gifts and rewards for the artistes in tow. The likes of Franco Luambo Makiadi and Tabu Ley Rochereau, among others bloomed and flourished under him.

Remember the late Gabonese President Omar Bongo Ondimba (1969 to 2009)? He was said to have invited and retained Congolese songbird M’bilia Bel at his Presidential Palace in Libreville for three months running. Rumours had it that he had married her.

South Africa’s first black President Nelson Mandela had his fair share of adulatory songs before and after his release from prison. The songs painted him as a national and global icon.

Closer home, Tanzania’s Mwalimu Julius Nyerere songs composed in his praise for his socialist ideals that later turned out to be a failure (Azimio ya Arusha) and for initiating the movement of the national capital to the more Central city of Dodoma from Dar es Salaam. The feat was not to be realised until long after his demise.

Here in Kenya, founding President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and his successor, Daniel arap Moi effectively used the power of music to bolster their presidency and to parry away political and other crisis from time to time.

Kenyatta’s State House overflowed with traditional music such as Nyakinyua performed by women from his Kikuyu community and other praise music to his very last day. He had relished a rich menu of entertainment songs in Kwale County only hours before he died on August 22, 1978.

Teacher Enoch Ondego, who sang Kenya ni Nchi ya Ajabu (Kenya is a wonderful country) impressed Mzee Kenyatta, prompting him to create the Presidential Music Association of which Ondego was pioneer chairman in 1969.

The song was adopted by Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) then Voice of Kenya as an intro beat to news bulletins. He was the founder of the Mwakigwena Group Choir, which was among the groups privileged to sing for the President in Kwale on the day he breathed his last at State House Mombasa.

Moi’s era that spanned 24 years was filled with patriotic songs thanks to local artistes such as Boniface  Mghanga, Kakai Kilonzo, Darius Mbela, Mwalimu Thomas Wasonga, Peter Akwabi and  Arthur Kemoli, to mention but a few.

Song praises for Moi came from outside too as happed when M’bilia Bel’s Nakei Nairobi (Let us go to Nairobi) focused on Kenya’s development milestones under Moi triggered jealous Mobutu’s wrath. She sought refuge outside Congo until Mobutu’s exit in the military coup of 1997.

The late Arthur Mudogo Kemoli’s creative mind was caught by Moi’s ivory gilded trademark stick (fimbo) hence the song Fimbo ya Nyayo yatuongoza kwenda wapi (where is Nyayo’s stick leading us to?) To which the rhetoric answer was: Kwenda Mbele (going forward.)

The song served to make Kenyans forget Kenyatta’s flywhisk that had symbolised pesidential power for 15 years since independence in 1963. No sooner did Moi ascend to power, passionately pledging to follow Kenyatta’s footsteps than Kamba music maestro, the late Kakai Kilonzo of Kilimambogo Brothers Band belted out Fuata Nyayo (follow the footsteps), a song rallying Kenyans behind their new Head of State.

To the late Boniface Mghanga, of Muungano Mass Choir, Kenya was comparable to a prized gem with which it was inconceivable to part, hence his song, Kenya Kipenzi Changu, Sitaiacha Milele.

The composition was in praise of President Moi after he won 1988 mlolongo (queue voting) Presidential election.