For rhumba fans in Nairobi, visiting Congolese songbird Mbilia Bel will tonight be the key highlight during a special ‘African Night’ concert to be held at the Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi.
Mbilia , who had a string of hit songs with the late crooner and band leader, Seigneur Tabu Ley Rochereau, last performed in Kenya during the 2019 Koroga Music Festival.
The promoter of her tour, Mr Jules Nsana, said that Mbilia Bel and her band would after tonight’s show remain in the country for a few more days with a possibility for more shows.
Kenyan afro-musician Suzanna Owiyo of Kisumu 100 hit song is among those who visited Mbilia Bel earlier this week in Nairobi to share musical updates. The two released a joint song some years ago.
Her current visit, which has coincided with the heightened campaigns for the August 9 General Election, saw her join Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga on his visit to Nyeri County for his rallies earlier this week.
During Tuesday’s impromptu performance, Mbilia implored the crowd and Kenyans at large to promote and embrace peace during the forthcoming elections. Later, she asked the Nyeri residents to dance along with her.
The Nakei Nairobi song was composed in praise of the late President Daniel arap Moi and praised various Kenyan towns, including Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Nakuru,
This patriotic song was meant to encourage cohesion and love between Kenya and Congolese living in the country.
Since the early 1970s and into 1990s, many of the top Congolese music stars such as Tabu Ley, TPOK Jazz grandmaster Franco Luambo Makiadi and Koffi Olomide treasured invitations to perform in Kenya and also record and produce some of their music.
Last Saturday during a live interview on the ‘Roga Roga’ show on Citizen TV hosted by veteran broadcaster Fred Obachi Machoka in Nairobi, Mbilia expressed her delight at having been invited to perform in Kenya again.
"Kenya is like my second musical home and I always feel honoured to be invited to perform here,” she said.
Similarly earlier in the year Mbilia was among those who paid tribute to their fallen counterpart General Defao Matumona with whom she also released a duet.
The entrance fees for tonight’s show is Sh1,500 (advance) and Sh2,000 (gate).
