Controversial Congolese artist Koffi Olomide returned to Nairobi on Sunday, March 8, four years after he was deported for assaulting a female dancer at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
Unlike in past visits, Olomide made a low-key return and only his lawyer Prof George Luchiri Wajackoyah was on hand to receive him and his entourage at the airport.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke on March 9, Wajackoyah confirmed that Olomide was free to visit the country, further revealing that Olomide would hold a press conference at a city hotel on Monday, March 9.
"He is already here. I don't know how long he plans to stay but he will be having a press conference at Ole Sereni today," he stated.
Olomide had shared a short video as he boarded a plane to the country revealing his excitement at being back in Kenya.
"After four years, the king of Africa is back. My heart is vibrating, I am very excited to be back in the country," he stated.
Kenyan authorities lifted a ban that had restricted Olomide's entry into the country following the assault incident that sparked an uproar in 2016.
Olomide had earlier posted a video thanking the government for allowing him to return, further commending Wajackoyah for representing him well.
"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 July 2016 and deported to Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The artist is no stranger to controversy and has had several run-ins with the law over the years.
In 2019, a court in France found him guilty of statutory rape of one of his dancers when she was 15 years old.
In 2018, Zambian authorities ordered for his arrest for allegedly assaulting a photographer.
In 2012, he was convicted in DRC and handed a three-month suspended prison sentence after assaulting his producer.
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.
With mega-hits such as Selfie, however, Olomide's music has remained popular in Kenya where Congolese music has enjoyed prominence for decades.
He arrived in Kenya from Tanzania where he held a major show in Dar es Salaam on Saturday, March 7.
Watch a video shared by Olomide on his return below:
