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Remembering Congolese songstress M’pongo Love 36 years later
Legendary Congolese songbird M’pongo Love of the “Ndaya” hit song.
What you need to know:
- With no major planned for the occasion, M’pongo Love will be celebrated by her fans online.
- Sandra Love has followed in the footsteps of her mum, having started out as a gospel musician.
Fans of legendary Congolese singer M’pongo Love will next week mark her 36th death anniversary. M’pongo is fondly remembered for the hit song Ndaya, and many other exciting compositions.
With no major planned for the occasion, M’pongo will be celebrated by her fans online.
Speaking to the Saturday Nation early this week, Sandra M’pongo, her eldest daughter, said this year, a family gathering will be held to immortalise the musician’s fashion gallery.
“I'm just going to make a video to thank her fans to honour her memory differently this year. The celebration will mostly be online” Sandra said.
Popular compositions
Five years ago, Sandra and her siblings commemorated M’pongo's death anniversary by visiting the gravesite Gombe Cemetery in Kinshasa.
A mother of three daughters and a son, Sandra has followed in the footsteps of her mum, having started out as a gospel musician in 2012.
Among her popular compositions are songs such as Accomplissement, Surna-turel and Eternel.
Sandra M'pongo daughter of the late rhumba artist M'pongo Love.
Sandra’s visit to Kenya in 2029 coincided with the peak of Ndaya’s popularity. At the time, Kenyan rhumba fans of all ages had taken to social media sharing lyrics of the song.
Paris-based fellow Congolese singer Faya Tess is among those who did a rendition of the song.
The evergreen song was composed by former TP OK Jazz musician Freddy Mayaula Mayoni, gaining a lot of popularity in the DR Congo and beyond from 1978. Legendary saxophonist Empopo Loway also featured in the song.
Other popular songs by M’pongo Love include Bakake, Fetiche Mbongo, Zonga Noki, Masikini and Partager. Released in 1989, Partage was among M’pongo Love’s last recordings. In the song, she was backed by Paris-based guitarists Bopol Mansiamina and Dally Kimoko.
Great Congolese divas
M'pongo Love belonged to the same generation of great Congolese divas – among them Abeti Maskini, Mblia Bel, Tshala Muana and Yondo Sister – who kept the music scene lively from the 1970s to the 990s with their soothing voices.
Meanwhile, the Ngong Race Course will on Sunday afternoon host the After Party show, a culmination of the first scheduled horse racing fixture of the year.
The horse racing event will be staged from noon to 4:30pm at the same venue. Revellers will have an opportunity to sample a wide variety of food, music and drinks. According to the organisers, the dress code will be smart casual with one ticket covering the whole day.
Elsewhere, the Ballpoint Social Club at the Village Market in Nairobi will host the Back to Rock - January edition on January 31, 2026. Revellers will be entertained by the Rash Band.
