Artistes who performed at the Jamhuri Day celebrations on Thursday are having a rough time from a section of Kenyans, with some avoiding calls from unknown numbers while they confront attacks on social media.
During the event to mark 61 years since Kenya attained self-rule, a line-up of veteran artistes, including Gidi Gidi (Joseph Ogidi), Collo (Collins Majale), Jua Cali (Paul Nunda), Daddy Owen (Owen Mwatia) and P-Unit, performed their songs, with the crowd singing along.
Hours later, their joy turned sour as some of their phone numbers were posted online, leading to a torrent of insults.
On Friday, gospel singer Daddy Owen was bombarded with thousands of calls and messages from unknown numbers.
“Most of these messages are insults. Kenyans are too bitter,” he told Nation.Africa .
For the better part of the day, Daddy Owen said, he avoided answering calls from unfamiliar numbers, unwilling to face the fury of an angry public.
Similarly, veteran artiste Gidi Gidi faced a similar ordeal, revealing on his Facebook page that a blogger had leaked his phone number.
Flooded with calls, Gidi Gidi made a light-hearted plea to his callers: “Please communicate in English or Kiswahili so I can engage with you.”
Despite the humour in his request, the situation underscored the intense scrutiny and backlash directed at artistes performing at national celebrations.
The controversy surrounding performances at national celebrations has not just been about public backlash, it has also sparked curiosity over how much the artistes were paid.
According to a reliable source, each of the 10 artistes reportedly pocketed Sh600,000, though some earned even more, depending on their negotiation skills.
For dancers and bands who accompanied the performances, the payment varied significantly.
“They were all paid different amounts,” the source disclosed.
Comedian Butita defended the artistes, saying they should be allowed to work.
“Not in bad faith, and whoever feels bad should get angry. Where is the problem if an artiste performs on Jamhuri (Day)? Anyway, great performance from the legends. That was splendid,” he posted on X, a social media site.
Mr Lenson Njuki, popularly known as Mr Lenny, said artistes were being unfairly targeted.
“I think Kenyans are angry with the government, not the artistes. Kenyan artistes, actors, and dancers have been performing at State functions since 1963. So, this has nothing to do with us,” he said.
Having performed for three presidents, Mr Lenny emphasised the professional nature of their work.
“I have done this more than four times, and even before me, there were others who performed. This is a State function, and when approached to work, you cannot refuse, especially when we have bills to pay and families to raise. People want to paint us as supporting political outfits, but we are just doing our job,” said Mr Lenny.
On the issue of payment, Mr Lenny clarified: “We were paid enough for the day. It is not the exaggerated figures being spread, like Sh1 million. They are creating a narrative that we were bought. Whether it was Sh1 million or less, it is business. We negotiated as professionals.”
“Our current President recognises our work. Before, we were paid peanuts. So I can’t complain,” he said.
When asked if the backlash would impact his bookings, Mr Lenny was optimistic.
“I have received offers from various promoters after the Jamhuri show. It came at the right time during the festive season, and I have slightly raised my rate depending on the client,” he said.
To Kenyans, his message was clear: “We are patriotic, and we are serving our nation. We will forever serve our country. We are not affiliated with any political faction. When I am called, we negotiate, and if we agree, we proceed.”
For Charles Kanyi, better known as Jaguar, the Jamhuri Day performance was an accomplishment.
“It was not about the money. I had to travel from Mombasa to join my friends for the celebrations. I have never performed at a national celebration before, so this was a dream come true,” he said.
Addressing critics who called for a boycott of his music, Jaguar remained unfazed.
“I’ve seen people asking fans to cancel my events or unsubscribe from my YouTube channel, but I no longer hold concerts. You listen to a song because it is good, not because it’s mine,” said Jaguar.
“Keep making good music. We didn’t sing for the President; we sang to honour our heroes. Seeing Kenyans jamming to a song I did over a decade ago shows me I created something legendary.”
As for the calls and messages he received after his phone number was leaked, Jaguar viewed it with humour.
“Some of the calls are business-related. I have been a Member of Parliament, so receiving hundreds of calls isn’t new to me. Some callers are youth asking for jobs. You can’t please everyone. Interestingly, most of the insulting and threatening numbers weren’t even Kenyan. Also, hating is free.”
Jua Cali, one of Kenya’s most popular genge artistes, told the Nation that the criticism was unjustified.
“Whether or not there’s a government, Kenyans will still celebrate national holidays like Jamhuri Day,” he said.
Jua Cali’s stance is that these events are about marking milestones in Kenya’s history, and it just so happens that the current president, William Ruto, is in office.
He said performances at national events are for all Kenyans, not just supporters of the leaders.
“When we perform, we are celebrating the journey of our country, not endorsing a political figure,” he said.
Jua Cali was adamant that artistes should not be judged politically for performing at national celebrations.
“We are not politicians. We don’t wear branded campaign T-shirts or endorse anyone. We just go to entertain,” he noted.
While some Kenyans have linked performances at such events with political affiliation, Jua Cali pointed out that backlash on X and online negativity stem from a small segment of the population.
He downplayed the impact of social media critics: “X makes up a very small percentage of the population. It’s just a few pseudo accounts, but the general public doesn’t have an issue.”
He noted that his core fans remained supportive, despite the criticism, and that his career and bookings had not been affected.
When asked how he decides to perform at such events, especially in politically charged environments, Jua Cali explained that performing at national celebrations is a straightforward decision because they are public, not private, events.
“We don’t even think about it much,” he said.
He emphasised that Kenya’s independence should be celebrated, regardless of who is in power.
“Whether or not you like the government, Kenya still turns a year older,” he noted.
In the same interview, Jua Cali spoke about the distinction between performing for the country and being associated with political figures. He noted that most artistes strive to remain neutral because their fans come from different political backgrounds.
“It’s very sensitive to align with one side because we appeal to everyone,” he added.
According to him, this neutrality allows artistes to reach a broad audience without alienating fans.
Despite calls for a boycott from some Kenyans, Jua Cali went ahead with his performance at Uhuru Gardens during the country’s 61st independence anniversary.
Sharing in Jua Cali’s view is veteran producer, singer, composer, and author Tabu Osusa, who noted that while Kenyans may be unhappy with the current government, the government is separate from the nation itself.
“We are the nation. If we perform, as long as we're not writing a song praising that particular position, there’s nothing wrong with that,” he said.
Osusa further explained that the backlash against artistes who perform at national celebrations like Jamhuri Day was unfair, attributing it to people looking for a scapegoat.
He opposed the practice of politicians paying musicians to campaign for them, though he noted that performing on a national day had no political undertones.
Since the anti-government protests that began in June, there has been strong sentiment against anything that appears to support President Ruto.
On Mashujaa Day in October, rap duo Wadagliz were came under fire for performing their hit “Anguka Nayo”, which had become the unofficial soundtrack of the youth-led protests.
The group, however, defended their appearance before President Ruto as “hustling like any other Kenyan.”
“Wadagliz have no problem with anyone, and we will continue doing our job. If people love us, they will love us; those who don’t, that is their problem,” said their manager, Sam Michaka.
