A packed venue, views of a Boeing plane-turned luxurious club, an electrifying performance by Savara – and Kenya Cane spirit flowing.
These were the sights and sounds at The True Kenyan Fest, Jamhuri Edition, which was held on December 14 at Club034 in Kitengela.
The event was organized by East African Breweries Limited’s (EABL) Kenya Cane Spirit, and featured an MC and artiste line-up that kept guests entertained throughout the evening and into the wee hours.
MC Prince and MCA Tricky captivated audiences with energetic engagement, while DJ ROQ, Julie The DJ, DJ Adalla and Selekta Outlaw played fierce sets in between star performances.
The artiste line-up featured Savara, Maima, Yaba and Laiso.
Kenya’s diverse culture shone through the artiste selection: with Maima’s Kamba Benga set getting fans up and dancing early on, and eventually Savara bringing the house down by performing some of his and Sauti Sol’s biggest tracks.
The former Sauti Sol band member graced the stage just after midnight, sending the crown wild with a showcase that included songs like Suzanna, Show You Off and Melanin.
While Savara was the last main act to perform, as well as the show’s headliner, upcoming Maasai singer Laiso closed the show, dressed in a beautiful bright red maasai shuka wrapped around his waist and his braided hair dyed with red ochre- a reminder of the intriguing fashion and traditions of Kenya’s diverse tribes.
Savara told press at the event that he enjoyed the crowd’s energy and love, expressing gratitude to organisers.
“People have an open heart, because the kind of set that I was doing is not the usual set that people are used to. Watu wana enjoy music and art [people are enjoying music and art], watu wanakata maji [people are enjoying their drinks], watu wako respectful [people are respectful, I didn’t see any chaos… like it’s just a good extravaganza.”
The celebrated singer added: “The True Kenyan Spirit is to know yourself. It is believing in Kenyan artistes, Kenyan content creators and any artistic value locally. Right now there is a wave and revolution going on- people are believing in our own.”
Maima, on his part, thanked Kenya Cane for the opportunity before getting on stage, and promised fans a great performance- one he delivered.
Kenya Cane Brand Manager Davis Changalwa noted the cultural significance of such fetes, while detailing the event’s itinerary.
“We are going to celebrate the Maa Culture, which is our host community. However, beyond that we are going to have other communities represented. We are going to celebrate all the communities that we have in Kenya, ” he said ahead of the performances.
The Brand Manager added in another interview after the show that the event “exemplified Kenya Cane’s commitment to being not just a drink but a cultural icon that embodies the True Kenyan Spirit giving Kenyans a moment to celebrate our shared pride and heritage.”
“From the music and art to the unmistakable taste of Kenya Cane, we created a space where Kenyans could come together and celebrate their pride, resilience, and unity,” he said.
