Entertainment

Kenyan rapper Kennedy Ombima, alias King Kaka, gushed over his wife's success after she landed a TV job on Monday, January 13, 2020.

The musician announced that Carter Ninifelly Owiti alias, Nana Owiti, would be joining Switch TV, a Kenya Red Cross-owned media house.

Owiti will be hosting a show dubbed Chat Spot.

She replaced Jackie Matubia who exited the station in January 2020.

Matubia, a former Tahidi High actress left after a year and a half stint at the station.

"Hii maua ndio utaniambia nani alikupea. While wengine wanaitishana change hapo. (You'll have to explain to me who bestowed such luck upon you).

"The queen will be hosting Chat Spot on Switch TV from 5.50 pm, tune in. Wacha nichome pop corn hapa na strong tea nikingoja (Let me enjoy some snacks as I wait for her show)," King Kaka hyped.

Nana Owiti will be joining musician, Kush Tracey, and former KTN presenter, Mary Mwikali, in hosting the show.

On Chat Spot, the hosts speaking on various issues that concern the society and also interview renown people. 

Switch TV on on Monday, January 6, 2019 announced that they would be making major staffing changes in line with its growth strategy. 

The station is also embarking on a new direction under the Switch TV 2020 Strategy.

"We will be reviewing the existing programming; cancelling and launching new shows; which may affect some of the existing talent," an email sent to newsrooms read.

Celebrated Kenyan rapper Khaligraph Jones emerged top in Africa beating all the other African rappers in his category during the just concluded Sound City MVP Awards in Nigeria.

Jones was crowned the best Hip Hop rapper on the continent beating other renowned artists such as Sarkodie from Ghana and Ricky Rick from South Africa.

Other artists who had been nominated in the category included BlaqBonez (Nigeria), Falz (Nigeria), Kwesta (South Africa), Medikal (Ghana) NyaShinski (Kenya) and Reminisce (Nigeria).

While accepting the award, Jones thanked his fans for supporting him throughout his career and reminded the attendees, in his typical fashion, that he was the best rapper in Africa.

"I represent the 254 [Kenya] and East Africa. To some people, I know this is your first time seeing me and you are wondering who I am. I am the best rapper in Africa. The East has something to say," celebrated jones to a beaming crowd.

Khaligraph bagged the award courtesy of his song Leave Me Alone which was released in June 2019 and has, so far, amassed up to 1.4 million views.

The awards were held at the Eko Convention Centre in Lagos, Nigeria on Saturday, January 11, 2020.

The annual event often looks to celebrate outstanding African artists that shaped the continent's music.

Throughout the event, Nigeria stood out as the country that bagged the highest number of awards as Burna Boy bagged his second successive win for African Artist of the Year.

Other winners at the awards show were Davido who was crowned Digital Artiste of the Year, Rexxie who won African Producer of the Year and Dope Nation from Ghana for Best Duo who were in the same category as Kenya's Ethic group.

A video of Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho boxing surfaced online, capturing the attention of netizens on the evening of Thursday, January 9, 2020.

A sweaty Joho could be seen modelling Floyd Mayweather, showcasing a wide variety of boxing techniques.

There are four generally acknowledged boxing styles which define a boxer: a swarmer, an out-boxer, a slugger and boxer-puncher. Surprisingly, the ODM deputy party leader can be described as an out-boxer.

In the video, Joho maintains a gap between himself and throws fast long-range punches, often relying on his quick feet to compensate for the lack of power in the punches.

Adding to his arsenal, Joho boasts of ambidexterity. This is the ability to utilise both arms with ease. In the clip, Joho switches back and forth, throwing punches with either fist. Again shadowing a professional. 

The governor effectively switches between stances, effectively executing the use of both his arms, a technique often referred to as switch-hitting by boxers.

He surely knows what he is doing, or rather, he has been trained well. On offence, Joho traverses from an upright stance, semi-crouch to full crouch, and from each, he is able to orchestrate an attack.

However, in the clip, he only utilises the jab- a quick straight punch thrown with the lead hand from the guard position, and a bolo punch.

On the defence, Joho near-perfectly executes the bob and weave. Bobbing involves moving the head in a circular motion and beneath an incoming punch. As the opponent's punch arrives, Joho bends his legs quickly and simultaneously shifts the body either slightly right or left.

After ducking the punch, he gets back to an upright position, emerging on either the outside or inside of the opponent's still-extended arm.

He also executes the peek-a-boo, defence style where his hands are placed in front of the boxer's face.

Sixty six couples tied the knot in a mass wedding ceremony on Saturday, December 28, 2019 held at the AIC Pipeline Church in Nairobi.

In a report published by The Standard the ceremony presided over by deputy bishop, Abraham Mulwa, was funded fully by the church at a cost of Ksh800,000. The move, he said was to assist couples unable to afford the financial burdens of contemporary weddings.

''Ili kurahisisha, watu wa hapa ni watu wa maisha duni, na kuwafanyia ndoa yao kuwa rahisi kanisa inagharamia kila kitu. (In order to reduce the financial burden of wedding ceremonies for the poor people in this area, the church is catering for all the expenses)," Mulwa explained.

One of the grooms among the 66 explained how he was unable to finance his wedding and expressed his gratitude to the church for giving him and his bride an opportunity to have a church wedding. 

"Sikuwa nataka ma expenses mingi na sikuwa na pesa ya kutosha ya kualika watu wengi kwa ndoa yangu, (I did not want to incur a lot of expense and I did not have enough money to invite many guests to my wedding." 

Another bride stated, ''niliona mimi nikitumia pesa zangu mimi mwenyewe nitatumia expenses mingi na sina hiyo uwezo," (I figured if I used my own money, it would cost me a lot beyond my ability.)"

Mulwa, highlighted that the couples who were between the ages of 34-56 only had to raise Ksh1,400 to acquire the marriage certificate from the Attorney General's office and procure their rings.

''Ile kitu wanafanya hapa ni kulipa Ksh1,400 ya certificate ya AG.''

Almost every year, there is bound to be a mass wedding ceremony in the country in the aid of couples unable to meet the astronomical costs of wedding ceremonies. 

The Daily Nation reported that in April 2018, 26 couples tied the knot in a mass wedding at the Assumption of Mary Catholic Church in Umoja.

An additional 57 during the year 2016 were  also reported to have also tied the knot in a similar manner at the Wango Catholic Church in Mbeere South, Embu county 

These initiatives aim at offering financial relief to couples unable to meet the costs of having a contemporary wedding.

Not known to many due to his departure from the country in early 2002, Owuor Arunga is a household name in America, having been among the few Africans to have ever won the prestigious Grammy Awards.

According to his profile on Coke Studio where he had a guest appearance in 2014, a young Arunga narrated that he saw an advert on TV of a man playing the trumpet, and in a moment of deja vu, he knew that it was exactly what he wanted to do with his life.

"I started playing the trumpet because I watched a Tusker commercial with a trumpeter playing Take 5 by Dave Brubeck and it was the coolest thing ever. The way he tilted his hat, his swag — I wanted to be everything about that commercial.

When the opportunity presented itself, the young Arunga stated that he left the country and went to New York (2000) to get more jazz experience and knowledge.

He also cites Michael Jackson as a big influence on his musical career.

"I moved to the States in 1993. My mother is American-born and I loved Michael Jackson, so I convinced my parents to move to the States so I could go see the statues of MJ. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it’s true: MJ sold me the dream," he told the Daily Nation in 2013.

Owuor has also had the honor to work on a project alongside Thrift shop hitmakers Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, having studied with Macklemore in the same school as him where they teamed up to make music, as he told Daily Nation in 2014.

“I met Ryan Lewis later, he is younger than Mackelmore and I. Mackelmore and I went to high school together and I met Ryan through Mac. Typically, younger people have a perspective on music that’s fresh and different, I always go to my kids and ask them is this hot, and do you like this song?” he stated.

According to his coke studio profile, the inventive musician was stated to have helped the duo write their Grammy-winning album, The Heist, which was also nominated for the MTV and VMA awards in 2013.

His exploits have also turned him into a household name in the states, going with monikers like Dizzy Gillespie of hip-hop” The pied piper, SuperJazzman Owuor and Sultan of Swag.

In 2019, Arunga released a song titled Pressure alongside musician Kagwe Mungai.

The Grammy Award (originally called Gramophone Award) is the most prestigious award presented by the Recording Academy to recognize achievements in the music industry

The person with most grammies is Sir George Scott, ad Memoriam, with 31, the living person being country music legend Alisson Krauss who has 27 grammies to her name, putting Arunga amongst the musical greats.

Veteran media personality Julie Gichuru and teacher Peter Tabichi have been named amongst the 100 Most Influential Africans by New African magazine, a London-based publication with a portfolio in more than 100 countries across the world.

According to the magazine's December 2019/January 2020 issue, Gichuru was recognized for her activism and participation in the events that have shaped the country in the past ten years.

"Describing herself as an entrepreneur and a media personality, her services are sought after not only in the continent's biggest gatherings but as an adviser to a number of people and institutions on their outreach and communication strategies," the magazine stated of her.

Gichuru took to social media on Thursday, December 19, to announce her triumph, where she stated that she was honoured to have been named among the greatest in the continent. 

Mwalimu Peter Tabichi was recognised for beating 10,000 teachers from 179 countries to become the first African in history to win the Ksh100 million Global Teacher's Prize by Dubai-based Varkey Foundation.

"On a continent where it is well-documented that teachers are some of the lowest-paid and make do with basic or little resources, Tabichi selflessly spends 80 per cent of his resources in supporting Keriko Secondary School and the entire community," NewAfrican praised him.

The magazine also stated that Tabichi had impressed the world by maintaining his humility even in the light of global attention that has seen him meet US President Donald Trump.

Other Kenyans who made it to the list included Eliud Kipchoge for his historic INEOS run and Brigid Kosgei for breaking the Chicago Women's Marathon record with a stellar run a day after Kipchoge beat the two-hour barrier.

Also on the list was Kenyan acting heartthrob Lupita Nyong'o for writing Sulwe, a children's fiction picture book that addresses the aspects of racism and colourism.

Citizen TV and Hot 96 FM show host Dominico Kariuki Ngori, popularly known as Coco Soboo Moto or Coco Jahseed opened up about his struggle with alcoholism and his journey to recovery.

Speaking exclusively to Kenyans.co.ke on Wednesday, December 18, the vocal presenter intimated that he had made a huge leap to get to the sober and clean state that he is in right now.

The host of Citizen TV's One Love reggae show revealed that it had not been an easy journey for him given the fact that at one time people around him saw him as irredeemable, having spent many of his formative years doing hard drugs.

Having been in and out of rehab a number of times, Coco stated that it reached a point in his life when he felt like he was being left behind by his agemates who had already settled, had jobs, were married and had families, and he knew that it was time to decide to stop the downward spiral that his life had become once and for all.

That was the start of his difficult journey to recovery, a journey that he stated had been peppered with slip-ups, and then recovery and altered the course of his life.

"I will not lie to you that my journey has been completely sober. There have been times in the past when I have relapsed, but as they say, relapse is a road to recovery. When you fail, you get up and deal with the mistake," he told Kenyans.co.ke.

Coco narrated that he had the last rehab visit in 2006 after he relapsed for close to two months, but he managed to get back on his feet through the help and support of family, his counselor and mentor, all who listened to him and supported him till he got back on his feet.

He, however, stated that though he had recovered and tried to keep a healthy and balanced lifestyle complete with proper dieting and religion, he was well aware that a little mistake could send him hurtling back into the dark abyss he had once been in.

The Citizen TV presenter revealed that he had cut off many friends and time spent outdoors since he knew that any little negative influence was a potential trigger to his past behaviour and could set him back many years.

"It is a struggle every day. I do not go out much, and I do not put myself in situations that would tempt me, and at times I get lonely so I just make my home as comfortable as possible so that when I get there, as much as I am lonely, I have things to keep me comfortable," he stated.

Coco stated that his journey to recovery was a miracle and a second chance, and he felt that the reason he got out of the situation was to spread a message of hope to the youth that they can get over anything if they decided to.

At the moment, he is currently working with First Lady Margaret Kenyatta's Pupils Rewards Scheme (PURES), which is a mentorship program aimed at motivating and instilling discipline in pupils.

He also spends his time in rehabilitation centers and churches where he engages the youth on the effects of drug abuse when he is not at Hot 96 FM or on Citizen TV.

While Fena Gitu might be a household name due to her catchy tunes and musical prowess, her sister, Maggie Gitu, is not as active in the social space.

Maggie Gitu is a marriage, family and sex therapist who writes a column for the Saturday Standard's Eve Woman, captioned under the tag 'Between the Sheets'. 

On a post on Instagram on Sunday, December 15, Fena captioned her relationship with her sister during an outing together, a rare act as both of them seem to be keen on staying away from each others' light.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Maggie holds a Master's degree in marriage and family therapy from the Pan African Christian University in Nairobi.

Alongside her weekly column with the Standard which has lasted for close to three years, Gitu works as an independent consultant and therapist based in Nairobi, a practice she has been at for more than five years.

In an interview with Eve Woman in October 2017, Gitu narrated that some of her roles as a therapist include counselling couples, advising on relationships, sexual and family matters and also reaching out to clients with feedback on questions

"My days are not regular, sometimes I’m doing research on questions asked by clients, sometimes I am reading emails sent in by clients, and other times I am seeing clients back to back," she stated.

The renowned therapist also opened up on her most awkward experiences in practice, which she stated was with individuals walking to her office thinking that part of her work involved having sex with them to demonstrate how to have better sex lives.

On the upside, however, her best moments while on duty was when clients were finally able to figure out what exactly was ailing their relationships and inform her that they were making progress.

She also told the publication that if she had not been a therapist, she would have been an air hostess due to her love for serving people or a mechanic due to her curiosity with how things worked.

"I find my work very fulfilling. People should not be afraid to go for sex therapy because it is essential, however, you should always ensure that your sex therapist is qualified. A sex therapist must have a Masters or a PhD," she advises.

Kenyan artists have extended their creativity to create songs that ignite public awareness on various economic, social and political injustices that are derailing the country's progress in order to inspire patriotic action.

Another reason, songs like this are done is to shine a light on the issues that need radical change and attention, or even, cause a revolution.

This is a move Kenyan artists make after what can be termed as public outcry on issues such as cost of living, tax burden, corruption, unemployment and impunity on the part of the government of the day.

A combination of inspirational lyrics and moving instrumentals always make a great recipe for some of Kenya’s most patriotic tracks. 

1) King Kaka - Wajinga Nyinyi

Kennedy Ombima, alias King Kaka, or the Rabbit, released a viral song titled 'Wajinga Nyinyi' on December 14, 2019, highlighting the punitive methods Kenyans use to select their leaders only to complain later when things are tough and people are suffering.

The song was considered a bold move as big names were mentioned hence the stir online.

However, King Kaka is not the only artist that takes initiative to write songs that have a significant social impact on the community and wish to inspire patriotism. Here's a list of Nine songs that accomplished the same agenda.

King Kaka, in a message to the president, addressed corruption, high taxes, hefty loans, unemployment and tribalism touching everyone from politicians to the police and the Kenyans at large. The bold musician, who declared that he is ready to die, called them out one by one.

The song #Wajinga Nyinyi is a Swahili rap song that is about 7 minutes long. It had been the trending topic on twitter, attracting support and criticism from both politicians and netizens.

2) Sauti Sol ft Nyashinski - Tujiangalie 

This song was Sauti Sol’s second collaboration with rapper Nyashinski about Kenyan society and its the lack of integrity and accountability which many turned a blind eye on. Released on August 21, 2018, the song attracted over 3 million views.

It calls for self-reflection especially among Kenyan youth, because the country is worse off than how it was left by its founding fathers. The song also faults Kenyans for not engaging in meaningful political activism, preferring instead to trade jibes on Twitter.

The song is perhaps the group’s most powerful social commentary so far, mincing no words in calling out the rot in Kenya.

3) H_art The Band - Think (Letter to the Common Mwananchi)

This song done by one of Kenya's most popular boy band H_art the Band was dropped on March 3, 2017. The song, which possesses part 1 and 2 is called 'THINK' which the group highlights was a letter to the common mwananchi. The group which draws inspiration from day-to-day experiences, claims that its music speaks to generations: from the young to the old. 

The song was made on the eve of the elections, to remind Kenyans to vote wisely. The group consists of , three young men, Mordecai ,Wachira and self-taught guitarist Kenchez who compliments their rhymes with smooth African tunes, while Mordecai has quite the catchy vocals, thus they believe they created a fresh genre called Afro-poetry.

4) Muthoni The Drummer Queen - Kenyan Message

The Kenyan Message was dropped on March 1, 2017, also the election year where Muthoni wrote a song that would get Kenyans to vote wisely.

The song articulates her rage on how politicians imply that the results of general elections  are usually a foregone conclusion, and that young Kenyans cannot determine who gets to lead them. 

The song touches on apathy of the country’s political class, failing public healthcare system, looming drought, tribalism, and about con artists who masquerade as preachers.

5) Juliani - Utawala

This one dropped a bit earlier than the rest during the 2013 general elections period. Riddled with politically themed art, the song creates awareness of the evils, bedeviling the country such as tribalism, selfishness and corruption. 

His message was that music can be used as an instrument to fight inequality. It also highlights the diversity of occupations and the various individuals the song speaks for.

6) Sarabi - Sheria

Released at around the same time as Juliani's Utawala, Sheria is a song about the Kenyan law and the issues surrounding the administering of justice in the country. The song by Sarabi dropped in December 11, 2013. 

“Sheria” is about the state of Kenya’s politics and of the failure of Kenya’s citizens to take responsibility for their contribution to the corrupt status quo.

It translates to “Follow the law!” and reminds each and everyone on their responsibilities to and for society. Instead of always shifting the blame to politicians one should rather look at ones own individual actions if we truly want change.

7) Ythera - Like a Phoenix

Though the song never attracted many views on YouTube, the message of the song was nothing short of social accountability and awareness of Kenyans. Released on July 19, 2016, Ythera aimed at mobilising Kenyans to defy terrorism, be vigilant and take charge of their safety, security and development.

Ythera urges Kenyans to travel and work unhindered all over the country. She encourages Kenyans to remain strong ,vigilant and to bounce back with zeal in the face of terror. Let us be defiant and resilient. The song was to encourage the spirits of those who have been affected or felt the impact of terror attacks in Kenya.

8) Eric Wainaina - Daima

This song by Eric Wainaina also broke the internet and went viral when it was first dropped in November 23, 2009. This is by far the oldest one on the list. This was one of the biggest tracks from Wainaina’s 2001 debut album “Sawa Sawa,” the track “Daima” is an all-time favorite for all Kenyans.

With creative lyrics and inspired harmonies, the Shangilia Kids children’s choir provide background vocals making the track that much more special. Fusing Benga and jazz with the blaring trumpet, the track cuts across genres while its message carries the day. The Berklee alumni Wainaina has made a huge impact with a song that inspires all citizens to love Kenya.

9) Petra Kenya - Stand Up Inuka

Petra's song Stand Up Inuka dropped right after the 2017 presidential election results were nullified and the country had been in a state of confusion. The artist stated that the song was an urgent response to the confusion and frustration, the country was experiencing at the time. 

It was about a feeling that Kenyans were in a difficult moment in history brought about by man-made problems, some of which could be attributed to poor leadership, tribalism and selfishness of the political class.

Endeared American musician, Selena Gomez, famed for her hit, The Heart Wants What It Wants, spent almost 10 days in Kenya without attracting media attention, despite her popularity. 

According to her fan pages, the songwriter and actress, 27, was in Kenya in early December doing community work.

She also visited schools under construction in collaboration with the WE Organization.

WE is an international charity and educational partner. It operates collaborative programs on an international scale.

In Africa, it partners with communities to implement WE Villages, a holistic, five-pillar international development model designed to achieve sustainable change.

Together with local leaders and families, the organisation transforms lives with solutions that are adaptive, effective and sustained long term by the community itself.

Selena has is expected to launch her new album, 'SG2' in January 2020.

"While the whole media and many fans were complaining about her current disappearance and not promoting her highly anticipated upcoming album, Selena Gomez spend a whole week in Kenya, was helping out people in need, giving charities and funding for schools to be built," one Xoxo Selenator tweeted.

In May 2019, rapper Kennedy Ombima alias King Kaka, met Selena at the Cannes Festival in France, becoming the first Kenyan artiste to grace the festival in its 72 years of existence.

“Ohh that’s me and Selena Gomez. Dedicating this post to all Kenyan girls. Believe you are strong, believe you are capable and believe anything is possible. Inspiration from Selena Gomez for each one of you,” King Kaka captioned a photo of the two.