This archive report was first published on 4 December 2019.
On a chilly and rainy Sunday afternoon in Nairobi, fans of Rhumba and Ohangla music gathered at the Bomas of Kenya Auditorium for the 28th edition of the Koroga Festival.
Despite the bad weather, the spirits of the visiting artistes and their Kenyan fans remained high, with the event's venue being moved from the open grounds to the main auditorium due to heavy rains.
Kenyan artistes Steve Kaya and Emma Jalamo kicked off the show with a nearly hour-long performance, backed by a live band, dancers, and drummers. Their dancers showcased the influence of Gengetone music, much to the enjoyment of the revellers.
However, the fans were kept waiting for nearly 40 minutes with a DJ set that did not quite live up to expectations.
Things took a turn for the worse when Cabinet Secretary for Culture and Sports, Amina Mohamed, took the stage, only to be met with a hostile reception from the fans who heckled and jeered her off the stage.
But the show eventually got back on track, with Mbilia Bel taking the stage at 7:35pm for a 50-minute performance, despite a sound system glitch. She kept her fans on their feet with some of her favourite hits, including Nakei Nairobi.
Kanda Bongo Man, who last performed in Kenya in 1991, stepped on the stage at exactly 8:50pm and did not disappoint, taking his fans back in time with famous hits such as Monie, Muchana, and Sweet Elizabeth.
The fans loved it, twirling their waists, placing one foot forward, and biting their index finger in the famous Soukous dance style of the 90s made famous by Kanda Bongo Man.
Despite the poor weather, last-minute change of venue, and sound issues, the show still lived up to its hype, and the fans went home with a rhumba-like feeling in their hearts.
