This archive report was first published on 27 July 2021.
Raila's Gengetone Praise Backfires ¶
ODM leader Raila Odinga recently took to Twitter to praise Gengetone singer Mejja's new release 'Tabia Za Wakenya', saying it reflects the true Kenyan behaviors.
However, his praise was met with skepticism, with many Kenyans accusing him of using the song to win over the youth ahead of the general elections.
On July 27, 2021, Raila tweeted that he had heard the song playing somewhere and quickly realized it explained Kenyans perfectly.
He went on to say that Kenyan artists are very creative, but his tweet was quickly shot down by Kenyans who believed it was just a way to win over the youth.
One Twitter user, @Sleemtee_ke, said, 'This is how you know that we are nearing Elections', while another user, @its_Brayoo, said, 'Tunajua ni ile time politicians wanaskiza mpaka gengetone.'
Raila was in Murang'a County at the time, meeting with several artists at the home of businessman S.K Macharia for a luncheon.
The event, dubbed Skiza Thanksgiving Luncheon, aimed to highlight the plight of musicians and gather support for Kenya's identity.
