Douglas Mutua
21 July 2007
Nairobi — Benga musician Kennedy Wambua Nguze alias Wamaria is an interesting artiste. Through his antics off the stage he has attracted many people. You may afford to hate, but you definitely can't ignore him.
Some time last year, rumour went round that he had been arrested and his dreadlocks shaved for flying the national flag on his Mercedes Benz car. A week later, he produced a song, Nenziwe Nuu (Who shaved me?), advising what he termed busybodies to do something constructive instead of spreading "fairy tales."
In the song, he bragged that no one could touch, leave alone shave, his trademark dreadlocks, adding that "even if I were to be shaved, my brains would remain intact." Interestingly, he does not deny having had encounters with police over his hair.
He is surprised that one is unaware of his numerous arrests. "Are you talking of one incident?" he wondered in an interview. "I have been arrested on several occasions on suspicion of being a member of the proscribed Mungiki sect, but no charges have ever been preferred against me."
He has declared himself the mutongoi (leader), and if you mention the word in Eastern province, his home area, the know you are referring to him.
Wamaria is an irony of sorts. For instance, he claims to have no time for politicians, whom he calls "patients of the mheshimiwa (honourable) syndrome," but his political ambition is common knowledge.
He launched his music career by singing songs on development projects he would initiate were he to be elected Yatta MP. The songs had quite some impact, and the Ukambani politicians got scared. His albums have since featured at least a political song.
In one of his videos, shot in a red-carpet room, the leader of the Yatta Boyz band dances while seated on a magnificent chair and urges Mwingi North MP Kalonzo Musyoka to vie for the presidency. But his eighteenth album has a special message. Titled Sasa ni Embakasi, he reveals that he has shifted his political base to the Nairobi constituency, ready to do battle with the incumbent, David Mwenje.
Is he not scared of hurting the feelings of self-established politicians? "I'm in good books with members of the disciplined forces (police) and the under-world as well," Wamaria says. Nobody can threaten me. One can only threaten one's subjects, but I don't take orders from politicians.."
He also denies claims that he received the Mercedes from a senior Ukambani politician to abandon the ambition of vying for the Yatta seat. "I make at least Sh1.5 million from the sale of every album that I record," he brags. "I'm too busy to frequent the courtyards of the so-called waheshimiwa for handouts."
Wamaria recorded Winzamithya Mwelu (Mwelu, allow me to taste), and activated the rumour mill in 2003. Fans and fellow musicians claimed that a Ms Mwelu had sued him and that he had been barred by court from recording.
Within two weeks, he emerged with another song, Navatwa Kwina Nuu (Barred by who?), refuting the claim.
Although he used to benefit from loans offered by the Higher Education Loans Board, he claims to have dropped out of the University of Nairobi, where he was taking a law degree course, or financial reasons.
"School fees were always available, but my pockets were always dry," the artiste says. "How could I cope with that?" Wamaria likes swimming on public beaches in Mombasa accompanied by two bodyguards, where he is mobbed by fans. Although he claims to have recorded 21 albums, the actual number is 20. And he has the answer for this: "Why, I did not record volume 13 as it's a jinxed number."
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