Singer Musindi: Why my music is now loved by the high and mighty

His Lelo ni Lelo song has catapulted him to fame and has seen him brush shoulders with celebrities' and top  politicians including ODM party leader Raila Odinga.

Today, musician Emmanuel Musindi’s song has been taken up as the Azimio la Umoja campaign anthem.

When he released the song in 2009, during the funeral of Shinyalu MP Charles Lugano Lilechi, the 46-year-old musician never thought it would overtake his other songs, including the famous Sena Lwanyi.

The song, which was used by some politicians during campaigns in 2013 and 2017, had been on air for many years but its sudden popularity forced him to go back to the studio to spice it up.

After the song was played at Kasarani during the unveiling of the Azimio la Umoja on December 10, 2021, Musindi has now become a regular performer during Presidential aspirant Raila Odinga’s campaign meetings.

He now hangs out with the likes of media mogul SK Macharia, businessman Richard Ngatia, musicians Faya Tess and Nyiboma Mwandido.

In the recent weeks, Musindi, who hails from Burimbuli in Isukha South Ward, Kakamega County, has seen a complete change in fortunes.

Popular songs

Photos shared online show the artist meeting different celebrities, including football stars and top musicians such as Bien-Aime Baraza of Sauti Sol and Onyi Jalamo who composed the famous National Super Alliance (NASA) song in the 2017 elections. Jalamo also composed the BBI Kenya Moja song to market the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) drive.

Until he met and dined with President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Musindi, who depends on live shows in clubs, weddings and funerals, was just an ordinary musician only known for the songs Sena Lwanyi, Shindu Shia Mundu, Shienyu ni Shienyu, Ndumbu, Manani, Shinimenya, Khayanga, Mulochi and Shitsulenje among others.

Politicians Johnstone Sakaja and Beatrice Elachi took him to State House where he met the President, who had secured his release from a hospital where he had been detained for two weeks for failing to clear a Sh2 million bill.

He had been taken to the city hospital after he collapsed while performing at a politician’s function in Westlands, Nairobi.

“I was doing badly, but I must thank Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, Kakamega Woman Rep Elsie Muhanda and ODM director of communications Philp Etale for choosing me among others to entertain at their rallies.”

“Etale was sent to pick me from home to go and perform at Kasarani  on December 10, 2021, and I was paid as we had agreed. They also invited me to the Bukhungu II declaration rally and I was paid all my dues,” he said.

Musindi started off by playing the isukuti and shilili traditional music instruments in primary school and soon turned his hobby into a career.

Biggest fans

Despite his parents having no music skills themselves, Musindi cites his grandparents as the greatest influence on his work.

“My parents were not very supportive, but later on they became my biggest fans,” he said.

Music in political campaigns plays the crucial role of energizing, motivating and inspiring potential voters

The power of music can be traced back to 2002 when President Kibaki rode to power with the songs Unbwogable by Gidi Gidi Maji Maji and Narc (National Rainbow Coalition) by the late Jacob Luseno.

The Narc supporters used the songs to demonstrate that nothing could stop them from dislodging Kanu from power.

During the 2017 elections, the Luhya song Bindu Bichenjanga (things are changing) was used by politicians of different parties.

The song by Amos Barasa was recorded in the run-up to the 2017 elections and it became popular after being used by NASA.

Kenya’s diversity

Currently, Musindi is among musicians working on projects aimed at celebrating Kenya’s diversity under Azimio la Umoja and another project to fight handout culture during campaigns. Others are Anastacia Mukabwa, Ben Githae of the famous Tano Tena and Baba Tosha.

However, Musindi and other musicians are facing challenges from politicians when it comes to payments.

Kenya Copyright Board (Kecobo) has advised artistes to negotiate their terms of service preferably with the help of lawyers and sign written contracts with politicians.

According to Mr Juma Odembo, a board member of Kecobo, musicians who do not work under a written contracts are frustrated due to unpaid dues. Some even lose completely as they cannot sue since there is no evidence of contractual relationship with their principal.

For Musindi, Collective Management Organizations (CMOs) are a nightmare. He says the records in Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) have his music under some else’s name.

“When we started seeing other people posting our songs on YouTube in the early 2010, we went to MCSK and found someone had taken the rights of our music and they did nothing to help us,” said Musindi who also demand on payment of royalties for music played during political rallies.

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