EDWARD CHWEYA: Don’t Be Like Diamond And Ali Kiba

We all love our country. We all want the best for our country. Except for a few egocentric and self-centred individuals, everybody wants the best for Kenya. I am among the everybody. This is why I am offering this advice to our esteemed artists. Celebrities to be precise.


Kenya is so full of talent. From music to sports, Kenya is so blessed. This is why we have great musicians in Kenya. This is why our athletes are breaking and setting new worlds every time they travel out of the country to represent us. Our footballers too will someday albeit the likes of Wanyama and Oliech doing good abroad.

But mine is a message, a simple message to our celebrities. Just like three stones need each other to support a pot, so you do.

Let me give you a story. I am not good at story telling but on this, I normally become the best. Once upon a time, not long ago, there was a certain country. The country was so celebrated because of its heritage.

It had great people; from leaders to footballers, the country reigned. Democratically, the country was regarded as the best in that region.



However, it’s strength lied in music. My son, the country had great talent in the music industry. Its musicians sang with passion. They entertained with zeal. They captured the attention of the world with their great lyrics.

Of importance was these pair of musicians. One was holder than the other in the industry. He still ruled the roost. He did great music. His younger counterpart rose with massive fame. His songs were touching, especially from the way he sang with passion.

Ladies fell in and out of his empire with easy. He was captivating. Scintillating. Appealing. To be precise, he took fans into captivity with his lyrics.

He gained international fame quickly. He rose through the murky waters of music to become a celebrated artist. He won awards with ease. He was nominated in almost every award that existed. He travelled far and wide to entertain and to make new friends and fans.



His fellow musician too was doing well domestically. His empire had expanded.

One appalling thing was that the two singers could not be cooked in the same pot. Why? Nobody knows. How the beef beefed up they themselves did not know.

Was it out of fame? Was it the fans? Was it their different lifestyles? Their different styles? We don’t know to date.

They had done collabos with almost every artist they came across, but not between themselves. Why not themselves? HATRED. It was escalating. It was getting worse. Something had to be done.

A local radio station in their country had to intervene. It called the younger artist for an interview. He was asked tough questions. He was required to explain why he could not work with his fellow hit maker.

He could not explain. He murmured. He remained silent. He felt shame trickle down his fame. It was shameful. His final words were,”I will work with him if he is ready”. He had tried to safe his face. That was the much he could do. He was seen as the proud one. He was considered a villain.

Diamond and Ali Kiba are the most revered artists in Tanzania. Have you ever imagined how a collabo between the two will sound? Why have they denied fans all over the world what they so crave?



Back to Kenya, our celbrity artists should learn. I am waiting to hear something from Octopizzo and Khaligraph Jones or Rabbit and Octopizzo. I am dying for the day when the three rappers will come together and give us something good.



Wyre and Nonini have shown the way. So is Madtraxx and Mejja.

When will Jaguar team up with Prezzo to move even one centimetre closer to sing for their City, their town? To sing for Nairobi, Mombasa or Kisumu. When will they stop ‘Vuukaring’ borders to do colabos abroad and do something home-made?

These are the moments we are dying for. Willy Paul should team up with Bahati. So should Size 8 and Gloria Muliro.

Diamond and Ali Kiba are not good examples. So we should not follow them.

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