In an overland truck, a group of men and women sway, gyrate and shake to a medley of Lingala songs. Koffi Olomide's “Ekotite” and Wenge Musica’s “Solala Bien” blast over a loudspeaker.
This could be a scene from any nightclub, except these dancers are run-of-the-mill people on a rhumba trip. It is December 15, 2023, and they are travelling to Tanzania for a three-day and two-night trip, just to listen to and dance to rhumba and soukous.
Rhumba is the one genre of music that has traversed through many generations and continues to attract a cult following. When you think of rhumba, you think of a cool and soothing experience coupled with slow dances. Now, imagine taking a rhumba-themed trip…
This is a business opportunity that Peter Simbi and George Openda, the founders of Rhumba to the World, have taken advantage of.
“I had gone to a lot of trips before and I would always get back thinking to myself that I would want to come up with something different. Trips that were designed to suit a specific crowd. So in 2022, George and I came together and we started Rhumba to the World,” recollects Mr Simbi, who works in the entertainment industry.
Two years down the line, Rhumba to the World has organised rhumba-themed trips to Tanzania, Fred’s Ranch, Samburu, Homa Bay, Mombasa, Diani, Kisumu, Namanga, and Suswa.
The Rhumba to the World truck that transports rhumba lovers to different destinations.
Photo credit: Pool
“I remember our first trip, we had only 16 people, but now we attract over 60 clients per trip, filling two overland trucks,” Mr Simbi says.
Mr Simbi's love for rhumba started at a very young age. “I was an air scout when I was in Class Seven (now Grade 7), we would visit the Moi Airbase often. During our visits, I would always find myself at the machine area playing rhumba songs and zilizopendwa . When we went on school trips, I would get to control the music and was always inclined to rhumba,” says the 30-year-old, who is also a deejay.
Do a quick run through Rhumba to the World’s TikTok page, and you will see a group of cheerful people dancing along to rhumba music or calmly listening to it as they head to their destination. It would be unfathomable to think that many of the people there are strangers who have been united by their love for rhumba.
Wangari Kamau, who has travelled with Rhumba to the World since its onset in 2022, tells Lifestyle.
“During these trips, I have met new people and made many friends. We are not clients; we are a family. We hold each other, we network, and we support each other,” she says,
"I remember taking my first trip with the tour company in 2022 when we visited Samburu for two nights and three days. When I returned to work that week, I felt refreshed and rejuvenated.”
Wangari, who grew up in Kiambu County, says that people are often puzzled to see her listening to rhumba, as “it is often associated with the people who grew up in Western or Nyanza region.”
Peter Simbi during the trip to Namanga on July 7, 2024 (left) and Roselyne Tanga who has attended concerts by Fally Ipupa, Koffi Olomide, Ferre Gola and Mbilia Bel.
Photo credit: Pool
Many expect that I will be more interested in Mugithi (the traditional folk music of the Kikuyu), but this is where my heart lies. I discovered Rhumba when I was a teenager. It was a self-discovery journey. I wanted to know which music could pacify my heart, so I listened to gospel, mugithi, rap, and reggae, and my heart settled on rhumba. I play a lot of rhumba in my house,” the 41-year-old says.
She adds she was sold to rhumba by songs by Madilu System, particularly Sansa ya Papier and Nzele.
“There is no way to separate rhumba lovers, confidence, and high self-esteem. This is because we believe in ourselves, we know what we want, and we are a mature crowd. Rhumba music is about life, love, death, growth, and self-esteem,” she says, adding that she always listens to some rhumba songs as she prepares for work.
“I have rhumba mixes that I listen to. It is wide, and it includes modern rhumba, old school, and zilizopendwa. No day passes without me listening to at least one or two rhumba songs. Rhumba is very relaxing and soothing. Sometimes, you even close your eyes without realising it. It just flows through and calms you, especially after a long, hectic day.”
There are rhumba lovers who have gone to the lengths of learning the Lingala language, when they sing along, they visualise the emotions.
For Wangari, she says she does not understand Lingala, but “if I really love a song and I do not understand it, I go to the English translations and get the general meaning of the songs. Language is not a barrier when it comes to rhumba music. I can sing along to many songs as long as I understand the general message in the song. There is a song that I like that only took me a week to learn: Nzel e by Madilu System.”
Another rhumba lover is Roselyn Tanga. When she is not at work or home, you are most likely to find her at one of the rhumba joints in Nairobi.
“There are so many rhumba joints in Nairobi, including Treasure Gardens, Kifaru Place, Pyasa Lounge, and Greenspan,” she says.
Wangari Kamau and George Openda.
Photo credit: Pool
Roselyn is also a huge fan of rhumba concerts, having attended Fally Ipupa’s concert in 2023 and Koffi Olomidé’s concert. “I have also attended Ferre Gola’s and Mbilia Bel’s concerts,” an excited Roselyn recollects.
She was introduced to Rhumba by her sister, when she was 20 years old. Since then, it has been a lifetime of listening to rhumba music for her. “Initially, I used to be a fan of reggae but started listening to rhumba when I was living with my sister. I listened to Loi by Koffi Olomidé, and I was sold,” says the 47-year-old.
“One thing I love about Rhumba to the World is that all their trips involve rhumba, right from International House (their pick-up spot in Nairobi) to the final destination. These trips mostly involve letting go after a very tough month or week and having fun without being judged. It has also been an opportunity to network and learn more about rhumba and our local tourism. We recently took a trip to Kisumu, where we visited Kit Mikayi [a rock formation site in Kisumu said to resemble a woman]. I happen to come from the western side, but I had never been to Kit Mikayi, so I found it very fulfilling,” says the 47-year-old.
Has she mastered the lyrics?
“I never bother to learn the words. I enjoy the beat, and the company, and I sing along. Through the audience and friends, you get to learn what the song is talking about. Rhumba is soothing and contagious. After a hard day, week, or month, the rhumba-themed trips are a way of letting out. Initially, older people were the ones who took the trips, but nowadays it is picking up pace among the younger people,” says the mother of one who also enjoys listening to rhumba while in clubs and at home.
If there is one rhumba singer that she can have dinner with, who would it be?
Without hesitating, Roselyn says Koffi Olomidé, the Congolese singer-songwriter and producer.
“I got recruited into rhumba because of his music,” she says.
For the majority of rhumba lovers, the genre was passed on by their fathers. Tyson Anunda is one of them. He grew up listening to rhumba, courtesy of his father.
“My father used to own a cassette radio, and the only music we could listen to in that house was rhumba. The first rhumba artistes I listened to were Kanda Bongo Man and Madilu System. Now, I only listen to rhumba music. My Spotify and YouTube are only filled with rhumba music. My favourite song is Monie by Kanda Bongo Man,” the 27-year-old tells Lifestyle.
Tyson, a businessman, appreciates the rhumba trips as he has gotten to meet new people, network, and even promote his business.
Rhumba cuts across ages, and Openda, known in his cycles as 'Son of Rhumba', shows it is not just a genre for the older generation. The 27-year-old is the co-founder of Rhumba to the World and is the official deejay of the group.
“I might look young, but my mind is old. I began listening to rhumba when I was young, as every Saturday and Sunday was rhumba night in our home. Then I got to high school, and there were all kinds of music, such as hip-hop and dance hall. I found my way back to rhumba when I attended the Koroga Festival, where Fally Pupa was the main performing artiste. I began making rhumba mixes, which I posted on my YouTube page and saw that people were interested. Thereafter, I joined TikTok and started hosting live TikTok shows where I played my music. It was here that I met Peter Simbi after a fan joined my live and suggested that we work together with Peter to organise rhumba trips,” says the civil engineering student, adding, “My nickname ‘son of rhumba’ comes from Ferre Gola because his stage name is Le Padre. So I thought, if he is their father, then I can be the son of rhumba.”
Peter says the cost of every trip varies depending on the prevailing conditions and the cost of fuel.
“For instance, the Samburu trip cost Sh9,500. The Homa Bay trip cost Sh16,000 for three days and two nights. And the trip to Tanzania cost Sh16,500 for two days, which includes accommodation, security, food, and site visits,” says Mr Simbi, who says that their youngest client so far has been 27 years old.
