Fire Place Ft. Mercy Myra

Date: Saturday, 2nd August 2014
Place: Kenya National Theatre
Time: 6 - 9.00pm
Charges: 500

Perfomances by: Mercy Myra, H_art the Band, Poetic Bee, Wordbenda, Dorphan, Mufasa, Teardrops, Fuse, Raya and Moseh the Drummist.

Mombasa Taarab Maestro Passes Away

Taarab maestro Mohamed Khamis Juma Bhalo passed away on Saturday 5-4-2014 and will be buried today in Mombasa.

Photo credits: http://instagram.com/mombasa_girl

Popularly referred to as JB, the professor is one of the greatest kings of Taarab music in Africa and has won the hearts of fans all over the world due to  his great talent.

He is, indeed, a professor of Taarab. Juma Bhalo, a traditional musician of the 60s,70s, 80s 90s, and now the new millennium has been able to maintain this position as the King Of Taarab owing to his poetic Swahili songs.

They are food for thought as they touch on people's lifestyle, love and misfortune. His art has been influential to many up-and-coming groups in Kenya and Tanzania, countries which are home to a large number of Taarab enthusiasts.

What makes Bhalo's songs unique is his golden voice and  the manner in which he crafts the lyrics. They are poetic and a mishmash of languages spoken in East Africa. He has a gift of coming up with “on the spot” lyrics while performing live on weddings.

MauMau Veterans to sue British Government

A historic judgment made in a British High Court on Friday has given three elderly Kenyans the right to sue the British Government for torture and sexual abuse during the Mau Mau Uprising.

The three Senior Kenyan citizens who include Jane Muthoni Mara, Paulo Muoka Nzili and Wambugu Wa Nyingi were allegedly subjected to torture and sexual abuse to the extent of castration in Nzili’s case.

High Court Judge Richard McCombe rejected the British’s Government argument that too much time had elapsed for a fair hearing to take place and ordered for a full trial.

The fourth Kenyan, Ndiku Mutwiwa Mutua who was part of three seeking justice died while waiting for the case to reach trail.

The trio’s prayers have been answered and can now sue the British Government for compensation.

Back in the country, it was all celebration and dance with over 100 Mau Mau Veterans gathered at the Kenya Human Rights Commission Offices in Nairobi.

Nobel Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu who recently received the Mo Ibrahim Award said that the British government should take responsibility and show compassion towards the senior victims. 

The British government, which is bracing itself for other numerous legal claims from Kenyans who were allegedly illegally imprisoned and abused during the colonial era, has said it will appeal the High Court ruling.  

“Freedom is never dear at any price. It is the breath of life. What would a man not pay for living?” – Mahatma Gandhi

Veteran Comedian: RIP Mzee Pembe

Photo Courtesy of Nation.co.ke  

Veteran comedian Mzee Pembe who died in Nairobi on Sunday brought laughter to thousands of radio and TV audiences during his hey days.

His son, Mr Sudi Omari, said Mzee Pembe, whose real name was Omari Suleiman Mwajambia, died at his sister’s home in South B.

“He had in the recent past been complaining of chest pains though he appeared still determined to carry on with his favourite art comedy,” Mr Sudi said.

Mzee Pembe, who was 93, was the last of the generation of TV comedians of the legendary “Aspro Show” of the 1960s on KBC TV (then Voice of Kenya).

Mzee Pembe also featured on Jamii ya Mzee Pembe and Kivunja Mbavu programmes where he featured alongside Kipanga Athumani, Mama Tofi, Mzee Tamaa and Mama Njeri, who have all died.

Mr Sudi said that his father, who had retired from TV comedy, had written comedy books now used as primary school set books like Pwagu na Pwaguzi.

Lately, he was also a participant in radio talk shows on Iqra FM.

Mzee Pembe was buried at Kariokor Muslim Cemetery, Nairobi, on Sunday.

Source: Daily Nation

Veteran broadcaster: Leonard Mambo Mbotela

Born in Frere town in Mombasa, he has been in the media scene for more than 40 years. He served as a broadcaster of KBC radio (Idhaa ya Taifa) and had a long running show, Je huu ni Ungwana which was first aired in 1966. The show had its core focus on common courtesy and ethics among Kenyans and ensured everyone remained glued to the TV screen.