Legendary Congolese artist Koffi Olomide has announced his planned return to Kenya to perform for the first time since being deported in 2016, after footage of him assaulting a female dancer at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi went viral.
A previous move by Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya to have Olomide headline a show at the annual Devolution Conference in 2018 had failed, as the Department of Immigration revealed that Olomide's Visa ban had not been lifted.
It appears, however, that Olomide received a green light from the government as he recorded himself apologizing to Kenyans and thanking the authorities and his lawyer, Prof George Wajackoyah, for making it possible for him to return to the country.
A remorseful Olomide urged his fans in Kenya to get ready for his come-back 'very soon' in a widely circulated video shared on Wednesday, March 4.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i and Immigration Director Alexander Muteshi were unavailable for comment on the matter when contacted by Kenyans.co.ke on Thursday, March 5.
"First, I apologize sincerely. I'm sorry for what I did wrong. To everybody who was affected by what I've done, I apologize.
"I want to say thank you to the Government of Kenya because the government allowed me to come back to the country again. I missed so much the country of my life [sic], I missed you Kenyans so much.
"I will be very soon in the country [sic]. I will be so happy to meet you one by one for selfies and to say hello. We will announce the date for the coming back of the King of Africa in Kenya," he asserted.
Olomide was arrested outside Citizen TV studios in Nairobi in July 2016 and deported to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with three of his dancers.
Then-Youth and Gender Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki termed his behaviour as unacceptable as she called for his visa to be permanently revoked.
"His conduct was an insult to Kenyans and our constitution. Violence against women and girls cannot be accepted in any shape, form or manner. It is a blatant violation of their human rights," she asserted.
It was not the first time the soukous icon had found himself in trouble over an assault.
In 2008, he was accused of kicking a camera-man from DRC's RTGA TV and breaking his equipment at a concert, but the dispute was later resolved.
In 2012, he was convicted in DRC and handed a three-month suspended prison sentence after assaulting his producer.
His music, however, remains popular in Kenya where Congolese music has topped the charts for several decades.
Watch Olomide's video below:
