On 20 November 2018, Safaricom’s Songa by Safaricom platform handed out the first prize in its Songa Na Mili promotion, with Damaris Akinyi walking away with Sh76,000 after correctly identifying the sound from Gilad’s song “Sema Milele.”
Damaris said she is a regular KISS FM listener and first learned about the promotion during the station’s breakfast show hosted by Shaffie Weru and Adelle Onyango. She added that she had heard about it while commuting to work in a matatu.
The win came at a time when her family needed help with school fees for her younger sister. Damaris said part of the money would go toward supporting her mother in paying those fees, noting that her sister is still in campus.
She also said she uses the Songa by Safaricom app because it helps set the mood for her day, especially through the daily playlists. That interest in music, she said, made the competition easier to follow.
Damaris said she also planned to use some of the money at the 30 Billion Concert, which is set to be headlined by Nigerian star Davido and is being organized through Songa by Safaricom, KCARL Entertainment, KISS FM and Classic 105.
Brian Chege, Songa by Safaricom’s head of content and A&R, said the promotion was created to encourage users to join the app and discover different music genres. He added that the giveaway would continue until the campaign reaches its target of Sh1 million.
