Pole Baba: Musician regrets singing song criticising Raila

Luo Benga musician Atommy Sifa, who ran into trouble in 2017 after composing a song criticising ODM leader Raila Odinga, is struggling to revive his musical career that nearly collapsed as a result of the controversial song.

In the last few weeks, Sifa has turned back to his social media pages to beg fans to support him in his quest to revive his career. He claims he lost all his band members while fans also turned hostile against him for attacking Raila.

Sifa whose real name is Tom Mboya Ngaga will never forget the song titled Uhuru Tano Tena or Uhuru Nyale (Uhuru is capable) which he composed and sang in 2017.

He claims the song is part of the reason for his woes.

In the song, there was this stanza: Joluo ugaloru, joluo ugaloru, Joluo ugaloru mojoga ubiro luwo ng'ani nyaka kar ang'o. (Luos you are sleeping on your ears in a disheartening manner. Until when will you follow this man?).

The man referred to in the song was Odinga. The song also had some descriptions which portrayed Odinga as a leader who could not help the Luo community.

The song was used as a campaign tool by former President Uhuru Kenyatta to achieve his re-election bid ahead of the 2017 General election. Mr Kenyatta and Mr Odinga were in a tight competition for the presidency.

Sifa termed the song as the genesis of the tribulations he is undergoing today.

When The Nairobian met him in Homa Bay town, Sifa regretted producing the song which he said had been blown out of context by Odinga's supporters. In our interview, Sifa got the opportunity to explain to the Luo community circumstances which forced him to produce the song.

Struck gold

The musician said he sang the song because he did not have funds. He believed he had struck gold with the song.

He argued that some officials from the State House approached him with money when he had nothing to meet the needs of his family.

"Niliimba kwamba wajaluo watafuata Baba (Odinga) hadi lini. Niliimba wimbo huo kwa sababu ya njaa (I sang that for how long will the Luos continue following Odinga. I sang that song because I was broke)," Sifa said.

He argued that he did not have intentions to discredit Odinga in the song. Sifa said Odinga's supporters misunderstood his intentions.

"I respect Odinga very highly as a leader from my community. I am tiny but Odinga is an elephant hence there is no way through which I can fight him. He is very much ahead of me," Sifa said.

When asked about the words which tainted Odinga's image, Sifa said the music was composed in the State House and his role was just to sing.

"The song was composed at State House and given to me to sing. Those words which are annoying in the song were composed by the competitors and my duty was to convert them into a song," Sifa said.

It was after producing that song that he claims he began suffering serious losses. The song led to the destruction of his musical instruments which were burnt in Kisumu. He had to flee to Tanzania to save his life.

He bought new ones but they were also stolen. His hotel at Adieo Kanayaluo in Karachuonyo Constituency was also vandalised. His band, Super Young Tux, is now on its deathbed as they don't have instruments. Sifa is now appealing to well-wishers and the Homa Bay governor Gladys Wanga to support him buy new instruments.

"Music is my career and getting musical instruments will give me the ability to educate my children," Sifa said.

Sifa is one of the kings of Luo Benga music who have kept the entertainment industry lively.