By Nikko Tanui

He is the self-declared king of the Kalenjin music and by his achievement he could be right. For two years in a row (2006 and 2007) Kass FM listeners voted for Makiche Rotich’s songs that saw the artiste walk away with Sh200,000 in a competition for the listeners’ best song.

Rotich, the leader of the Makiche’s Boys Band also holds the distinction of being the first ever Kalenjin musician to have his music on VCD.

Rotich, 27, drew his inspiration from the great Kalenjin musician, the late Kipchamba who was also a neighbour. Occasionally, the great musician would drop by and share knowledge and experience with Rotich.

However, it was in 2001 that Rotich surfaced musically after completing his studies at Kipsuter Secondary School in Siongiroi.

Out of the ten songs he wrote that year, it was Tolilo that became the peoples’ favourite. In the song he warns people about twilight girls who are out to wreck homes.

Hit singles

In 2002, Rotich released yet another hit single Yelo, a song on love gone sour that left his fans asking for more. He sings of how a gorgeous girl called Yelo was snatched from him by strangers from the Coast.

Another song that never failed to raise the dust on village dance floors was Taplule, in praise of a single mother who struggles to educate her children to university.

"I have more than 80 songs and still counting while the rest of the musicians are playing catch-up," proudly says the father of three from Chepalungu District.

And some of the issues that the artiste addresses in his songs border on the mundane issues of life.

After his song Ongerip Oinosiek (Let’s protect water catchments areas) he was invited to perform in Musumo Conservation in Tanzania by Lake Basin Project.

Society issues

The artiste has since been commissioned by the organisation to record more environment related songs and is currently putting final touches to the project.

Coming from a community that is renowned world over for their athletic prowess, naturally Makiche has praise songs for the gallant sons and daughters who have made the community and the country proud.

However, his latest song, Jelimo, which is yet to be released, is a response to Ken Wa Maria’s who had expressed his desire to marry the golden Jackpot girl (Pamela Jelimo) so that he could lay a hand on her millions.

According to Rotich, it never occurred to Wa Maria that Jelimo is already married.