Among the things that make life interesting and worthwhile is entertainment that makes people feel good, relaxed, or engage in temporary escapism.

It is an important necessity that comes after access to food, housing, and clothing.

It is not confined to any cultural, social or class grouping although particular types of entertainment can be cultural, social, or class specific.

It can be enjoyed through active participation or through watching others.

Observation entertainment includes competitive sports, theatre and stage performances, and even political rallies.

Political rallies are themselves stage performances in which politicians compete to entertain voters with promises which they and the voters know to be ridiculous but are nevertheless expected because they are entertaining.

Political rallies generally have no social or class boundaries and the sharper the wit at making other people look silly the better the entertainment.

Other stage performances, however, tend to be civil and to have social or class characteristics.

Those having high status, the well-born or "well-cultured," tend to be refrained in their enjoyment as they flock to "theatres", sit in comfortable chairs, and watch actors or "musical" performances.

The commoners tend to be exuberant in enjoying, especially if a particular performance is a diversion from perceived misery.

They are not concerned with chairs or benches.

Music is particularly attractive for it sends messages that resonate with those feeling bad and might even create a new cultural activity.

For instance, Americans, using a tune popular with drunkards, created a song out of a poem about a flag fluttering after a night of British bombardment and turned it into a national anthem.

James Brown, at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, attracted world wide attention shouting "Say it Loud, I'm and Proud."

It was also the time of the Vietnam War dividing the Americans and many empathised with John Lennon singing, "All We Are Saying, Is Give Peace Chance."

Kenya, after the Mau Mau War, gave peace a chance, encouraged dances and music, and produced its own musicians.

With Kenyatta and the ministers failing, children decided what Kenya's national anthem should be.

And then Joseph Kamaru noticed funny things in schools and produced "Ndari Ya Mwalimu," which made the Kenya National Union of Teachers, Knut, to go nuts.

When Knut demanded the banning of Kamaru's song, a Nation columnist answered with "Ban Kamaru, Ban Knut, QED." When Kamaru sang "Jogoo Ya Kanu", a prominent Western Province politician demanded to know why Kamaru had not seen the "Jogoo" in Kakamega.

There was also Fadhili Williams who soothed people with "Taxi Driver" and "Malaika," while Daniel Kamau, "DK", attracted youthful attention with suggestive naughtiness.

Musicians and play writers tended to compliment each other in the entertainment of protest that dominated post-colonial Kenya.

The title of Ngugi wa Thiongo's play, Ngaahika Ndenda, sounded like a line in DK's Ngaarua Ndenda, but it was close in theme to Kamaru's Kiuru.

People flocked to Kamirithu to watch the play and relive the Mau Mau experiences on stage.

In the 1990s, Wahome Mutahi's plays helped to create a culture of play watching as the elite drove far to dinky drinking joints to be entertained.

Wahome's plays had music and since music and plays often lift the spirits of people, they go well with political and religious entertainment.

Subsequently musicians and preachers behave like actors.

Eric Wainaina rubbed feathers the wrong way singing Nchi Ya Kitu Kidogo.

GidiGidi MajiMaji thrilled with Unbwoggable that, seemingly teaming with a religious chant Yote Yawezekana, helped to "bwogo" (scare) Kanu in 2002.

There is good money in preaching, which, partly, explains the proliferation of "churches" competing to "save" souls. The competition is entertaining.

Munene is Professor of History and International relations, USIU, Nairobi.