Entertainment

The life of celebrated Kikuyu maestro John Ng’ang’a Mwangi popularly known as John De’ Mathew was tragically cut short on Sunday in a grisly car crash.

His sudden death on the night of August 18 2019, came after his car rammed into a trailer while driving his Nissan Navara pick-up near Blue Post Hotel Thika.

De’ Mathew had attended a fundraiser in Thika town which was in aid of his fellow Kikuyu artist Peter Kigia’s child’s medical bill.

He was pronounced dead at Thika Nursing Home where he was rushed for treatment.

The country’s top leadership led by President Uhuru Kenyatta, his deputy William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga sent their condolences to the man they described as a brilliant and talented artist who enlightened the youth on culture and current affairs.

He stands as the most influential artist from Central Kenya with 375 songs and 50 albums.

De’ Mathews was born in Gathiru-ini village, Mukurwe-ini sub-location, Gatanga Constituency in Murang’a County over 50 years ago.

He was the son of Mathew (Hence De’ Mathew) and the late Wanjiku.

He is the fourth born in a family of eight kids.

De’ Mathew schooled in Mukurwe-ini (now Githambia) Primary School before proceeding to Naaro Secondary in Kandara and later Igikiro Secondary School.

He worked in the streets of Nairobi before venturing into his music career.

He hawked vegetables at Nairobi’s Soko Mjinga market, then sold meat in Kariobangi and later left to Nakuru where he sold plastic shoes (Sadak).

The benga artist composed his first song while still in Standard 7.

He was introduced to full-time music career by Timona Mburu and Joseph Wamumbe who helped him to release his first single “Jenifer” in December 1986 and in August 1987, he released “My Dear Nduku”, produced by Albert Gacheru (Wa Maitu).

“My Dear Nduku” was the hit that brought him to the limelight of the music industry.

His (own) favourite songs are “PIN Number” and “Muoyo Ti Kibandi”.

His best selling song was “My Dear Nduku” and “Njata Yakwa” which he performed with the current Murang’a Women Rep. Sabina Wanjiru Chege (who he says was never his girlfriend but just a pillar in his music career).

 “I have seen you grow as a person and in the music industry,” Chege posted on her Facebook page.

However, piracy started eating up their resources in 1992.

The Benga Kikuyu legend was married to two wives and had three kids.

De’ Mathew found himself on the wrong side of the law in July 2012 together with two other Kikuyu artists who were charged with hate speech.

The other two were John Muigai (Muigai wa Njoroge) and  Mark Kamande wa Kioi.

John was among the loved Kikuyu artists who used his music career to pass messages to the community.

De’ Mathew’s death comes hardly a year after the death of another iconic Kikuyu benga musician Joseph Kamaru, who was from the same county of Murang’a.

Kamaru died at the age of 79 on October 3, 2018, at MP Shah Hospital in Nairobi, where he was receiving treatment.

Several hotels in Kampala, Uganda declined to provide a venue for a press conference of the People Power Pressure group today.

The member of parliament, Robert Kyagulanyi a.k.a Bobi wine held the meeting at his home in Kyadondo East where he declared bid to challenge Museveni for 2021 presidency.
In an interview with the Daily Monitor, Flavia Kalule Nabagabe, who is the leader of the youth league in People Power said that some hotels in Kampala denied them access.
The hotels exposed by Kalule were; Sheraton Kampala Hotel, Hotel Africana, and Pope Paul Memorial Hotel.
“The management asked for a clearance and permission from the police just for a press conference,” Nabagabe said.
The spokesman of the movement, Mr Ssenyonyi said that the government was scared of it. He went on to say that the current outgoing president, Yoweri Museveni knew he will soon loose the seat of presidency.

Earlier on the member of parliament had said;
“We shall address the press today at 10 am at Magere. All efforts to get a different venue have been frustrated by security agenys intimidating all the venue owners and ordering them not to host any of our functions. We shall overcome!
-BOBI WIN (@HEBobiwine)

Infertility sucks! The sad part? Nobody talks about it. Even sadder? It never goes away. Maybe a miracle happens!
Kambua who for a long time has been a victim of this painful, emotionally crippling condition finally got pregnant.
However Gospel artist Evelyne Wanjiru said that Kambua’s miraculous pregnancy has given her hope of getting a baby of her own.
In an interview with Massawe Jappani on Radio Jambo, Evelyne said that she got married the same day Kambua did and she was so happy and proud of her pregnancy.

The gospel artist went on to say that she is hopeful of having her own child to. She believes that a miracle is on the way and that her prayers will soon be answered just like Kambua’s.
However Wanjiru appreciated her husband whom she termed as supportive in their 7years of marriage.
“My marriage has been an interesting journey but I don’t worry because I don’t have kids. My husband really gives me strength to continue waiting for i know one day I’ll bare him children”

Funny as it may sound, a man has shocked many by saying that he’d rather sleep with a banana stem than sleep with women then get infected with HIV/AIDS.

This is after an anonymous fellow called during Mbusi and Lion’s show on Radio Jambo where he confessed doing this crazy act.

He said “Where i come from, life wasn’t easy until one day my uncle from my dad’s side took us in and become our provider. After some years he died and my mum told me he was bewitched only for me to learn that he died from AIDS.”

The man went on to say that it was that situation that made him decide notto risk dying of the deadly disease and the best option was sleeping with the banana stem (mgomba).

Mbussi then asked him how that works and the man said, “What I do is, i have crafted the banana stem in some way, where I drill a hole and pour hot water into it before proceeding to fulfil my sexual urges. I cannot marry because I get my urges satisfied,so women to me can’t do what my ‘mgomba’ does, why would i even want them?”