Bomet artist Joseph Kones: Day I fed Ruto, Gachagua 'mursik', recorded top song in my small studio

Away from the heckling and chaos that characterised part of their tour of Bomet County last week, President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua did not expect a musical interlude in a tiny village recording studio.

Joseph Kones, a local gospel musician and part-time producer, found himself thrust into the spotlight as he hosted Kenya's two most powerful men.

In the presence of the president and his deputy, as well as other distinguished guests, Kones seized the opportunity to share his passion for music and showcase his talent.

The scene unfolded in Chemomul village, Merigi ward, Bomet East constituency - a far cry from the grandeur of state functions and official residences.

Mr Gachagua, it emerged, was in a rare moment of levity, prevented by his boss (Dr Ruto) from taking more than two cups of the sweet, traditionally made and popular mursik (fermented milk) where they had gone to launch a rural electrification project. 

Playing the keyboard with his guests, Dr Ruto and Mr Gachagua - accompanied by local politicians - lent their voices to a rendition of Kones' beloved song 'Yai Ki'. 

Kones recorded Yai Ki (Do something) in 2019.

But here he was, a humble musician from Bomet, leading the President and his Deputy in song - an experience he would cherish for a lifetime.

"The president, his deputy and the MPs sang along and someone had the presence of mind to record the historic moment for us, which is circulating on Youtube and getting a lot of attention," Kones told Nation.africa.

He revealed that after switching on the electricity in his house as a ceremonial sign that power had been supplied to the area, he cheekily informed the president that he had a recording studio and invited him to use it.

Surprisingly, Dr Ruto agreed to have a look, and so they squeezed into the three-metre square structure.

As he led his distinguished guests through the verses and choruses of 'Yai Ki', he couldn't help but marvel at the surreal turn of events. 

It is perhaps the only studio that the President and his deputy have entered at the same time, performing in a rural village, away from the state-of-the-art facilities to which they are accustomed.

In the midst of their musical interlude, Kones says, the president and his deputy momentarily put aside the burdens of their office and embrace the simple pleasures of community and connection.

"For a fleeting moment, they were not statesmen but fellow artists, united by their shared love of music," he says.

In the absence of proper soundproofing, the musician has used old mattresses to line the walls, but they do not completely block out outside noise once inside.

"In the future, I look forward to setting up a proper studio to support artists and provide them with a platform and brand to record and market their songs," says Kones. 

As the strains of "Yai Ki" echoed through the village, locals gathered outside the studio, drawn by the infectious energy of the impromptu performance. For them, it was a moment of pride - a testament to the richness of their cultural heritage.

Mr Kones has been running a studio in Bomet town since 2020, which he was forced to close due to high running costs and rent.

"I have opened and closed the studio in the town twice, forcing me to move it to the village where I do not pay rent. But the biggest challenge has been electricity as Chemomul village has not been connected to the grid over the years despite its proximity to Bomet town," said Mr Kones.

As a result, he has been using a small generator to power a computer and musical instruments in the studio, but has not made much money from the venture because the poor infrastructure makes the area inaccessible to his potential customers.

The man, who hails from Ngabolo in Mokondo ward, Transmata in Narok County, is a musician and a member of the Church of Christ which is adjacent to his homestead.

"I recorded my first song titled Men Kout Yekiribunu (Don't forget where you came from) in 2019 at Josko Studios, which used to operate at Major Estate on the outskirts of Bomet town, which got a lot of airtime on local radio stations and ceremonies," said Mr Kones.

Since then, as a solo artist, he has recorded over 30 songs, with the early part of his career being in collaboration with his sister, Joan Chepkemoi.

Initially, he bought instruments and used them to record his own songs to cut costs, but in the process, budding artists turned to him for support, which led to him opening a studio.

Among those he has recorded at his studio is the Bomet County Choir and with electricity now available at his home, which is the new location for the studio, he is looking forward to recording more.

"The problem with most budding artists is that they dream of a song overnight and want to record it immediately before fine-tuning it. Some come to the studio with no content or with one verse and they want it recorded," said Mr Kones, referring to the poorly performing secular songs on the market.

Before entering the studio, Dr Ruto and his team had switched on the last mile electricity connection at Mr Kones' house in the compound, where they consumed the popular special fermented milk (mursik).

 "After the initial chat with the President, who asked a few questions about our family and what we do for a living, an opportunity presented itself and I told him that we had prepared milk for him and the other guests. He was quick to welcome it," said Kones' wife, Ivyne.

Although his (Kones) mother - Juliana Langat under the watchful eye of his father Daniel Kiptakuriat Langat - processed the milk consumed by Dr Ruto and Mr Gachagua, top government officials and MPs, she did not meet the Head of State as only Mr Kones and his wife Ivyne were allowed into the house.

"They all took two cups but it was Mr Gachagua who was so excited by the taste that he ordered a third but was stopped by Dr Ruto who told him that overindulgence would invite an instant siesta," Mr Kones revealed with a smile that portrayed a man whose guests had a good time.

It turned out that Dr Ruto was actually the one who called for more cups when he was told, after making himself comfortable on a sofa set in Mr Kones' semi-permanent home, when he realised there were fewer cups provided.

"We were all surprised that despite the trappings of his powerful office, the President was so comfortable that he shouted loudly for more cups to be brought into the house from the outside kitchen," Mr Kones said in an interview while sitting on the same chair the President used during his brief stay at the house.

Mr Gachagua, taking a cue from his boss, promised to return to the Homestead for another round of the fermented stuff popularised by athletes who partake of it when they land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) after a sterling performance in international competitions.

"I never dreamed of receiving the President, not even greeting him or getting close to him because of my status in society. When I was told that the last mile connectivity would be done in my house, I was overwhelmed," said Mr Kones.

Here is a family that had no electricity, lived in an old wooden house and had no political connections, and it fell on their shoulders to host and provide refreshments without the help of the state.

When he told members of his family that the President would be his guest, they laughed it off and said he was day dreaming. But on Friday, a day before the event, and with increased security, it dawned on them that the president would indeed be visiting.

"Security officials spent three days inspecting the compound and the neighbourhood, with sniffer dogs brought in to help, before the president's tour. It was the first time we had been subjected to this kind of security check and questioning," said Mr Kones.

Overwhelmed by the power surrounding the presidency, the couple did not ask for help, unlike others.

"We still enjoy a kind of celebrity status, with people we do not even know calling to ask if it is really true that we hosted the head of state, what we discussed and how he behaved with members of society from humble backgrounds," Mr Kones revealed.

Some have even gone so far as to ask him how he managed to be included in the presidential programme.

"The truth is that I didn't even know that I was going to be chosen as a host. I thank God and whoever played a role in this. I am grateful to the President for the time he gave us in the course of his schedule," said Mr Kones.

The couple revealed that with the electricity supply, they will build a more decent house for themselves and start an income-generating project to supplement the posho mill they run.

Kones has been thrust into the spotlight, hailed as a local hero and a symbol of hope for aspiring musicians across the region.

His recording studio, once a humble refuge for his musical endeavours, had become a symbol of possibility - a place where dreams could take flight and talent could be nurtured.

[email protected]