This archive report was first published on 5 July 2020.
On Saturday, retired Administration Police officer Matee Festo was laid to rest at his home in Ithookwe, Kitui County, in a ceremony attended by his friends and colleagues.
As a senior superintendent, Matee served in various stations across the country before retiring in 2018, after more than three decades leading the Utawala Band.
During his time with the Utawala Jazz Band, which he founded in 1981, Matee composed several hit songs, including 'Kazi ya Askari', which made the group a household name in Kenya.
Before joining the police service, Matee was part of the Mwema Brothers Band, where he composed songs such as 'Stella'. His friends and colleagues eulogized him as a humble public servant who worked well with his juniors.
Matee's first wife, Rosemary Matee, described him as a man of peace who loved his family and helped people. He died after a long battle with cancer, leaving behind two wives and five children.
