Even before the dust settles, even before they are off the hook, someone is taking advantage of the publicity the three kikuyu musicians accused of hate speech in their songs are getting to enrich him/herself. John DeMathew, Kamande wa Kioi and Muigai wa Njoroge have been accused of spreading hate in three of their songs. The three were this week arraigned in court and later released on a cash bail.
Mzalendo Kibunjia promised to take action on any station, radio or TV, that was found to have played the suspect music. So far that threat has only remained as a threat.
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| Image by capital fm |
It would be assumed that the situation calls for abstinence from playing the three songs publicly. That logic, however, does not resonate with some cunning businessmen who this evening (6/7/2012), chose Kahawa Wendani in Nairobi, as the perfect venue to entertain people with Kamande wa Kioi’s Uhuru ni Witu (Uhuru Is Ours), the song the artiste has been sued for. Using a black Toyota Probox, KBN 116T, with sides covered in Uhuru and Kamande’s banners, they hawked the music around the estate while playing it on their large loud speakers fixed on the roof of their car.
Curious residents stood on the sides not knowing what to think of this. Music they had been hearing throughout the week being mentioned as containing hate messages was being played on loud speaker in front of them.
Whoever is taking advantage of the publicity generated by the songs to make an extra coin should not be proud of him/herself. There are thousands of songs you can hawk, why choose a song under investigation for containing hate and tribally divisive messages?
Report by a concerned citizen.
© nairobiwire.com
