Nzanzi, Les Mangelepa hit song 'Embakasi' composer dies

By Ben Ahenda | 1yr ago | 3 min read

Les Mangelepa hit song 'Embakasi' composer Papa Vivi Kalenga Nzanzi is dead. Nzanzi died on August 9 in his house at Nairobi's Dandora Phase Two Estate after a short illness.

Veteran Orchestra Les Mangelepa band leader Kabila Kabanze broke the news of Nzanzi's sudden death to 'The Standard'.

"He (Nzanzi) has been an integral of this group for the past four and half decades and has stood with us in good and tough times. May Almighty God Rest His Soul in Eternal Peace," Kabanze prayed.

Kabanze said the fallen musician was instrumental in the success of the band since its inception.

No band playing rhumba songs in East Africa could have matched Orchestra Les Mangelepa when they landed in Kenya from Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) in 1975.

The band arrived in Kenya from Lubumbashi and since then, the group has made Nairobi their permanent home but traversed around the country entertaining their fans.

They made a name through their hit-song 'Embakasi' in the late 70s. Shortly, they followed it with another popular song 'Nyako Konya'.

The two songs made the band a household name in the region.

In 'Embakasi', they sing about traveling, leaving behind a lover but telling her not to worry.

"Suzie mwana Kenya; Mpenzi kwaheri; Subiri nitarudi; Usiwe na shaka..." goes the song.

At the time of his death, Nzanzi was in his early 70s.

"His work was efficient at Orchestra Les Mangelepa and the many young artistes here can attest to that," said Kabanze.

One time when Orchestra Les Mangelepa toured ASK Nakuru Showground, Nzanzi was given a standing ovation.

Also giving his condolences was ardent rhumba fan Paul Khaduli who described the fallen artiste as an established entertainer and polished singer who trained many of young musicians in his lifetime.

"He was a good entertainer and listener per excellence and his work will be vividly get remembered over time by all those who passed in his hands in Kenya and DRC," said Khaduli.

With his death, Orchestra Les Mangelapa is only left with two of its original members; Kabanze and singer Luthulu Kani Kimaki.

Kabanze said they have been recruiting young artistes. "We had to come up with a strategy for the continuity of the band. And therefore, we came up with a strategy to recruit a number of talented youngsters to fill in the gaps of the departed members," he said.

"By doing this, we wanted the band to remain intact as an entertainment outfit and as an employer in Kenya," he said.

The group has 12 members.

At its prime, the band rivaled the Kiswahili Orchestras Simba Wanyika and Les Wanyika but the former has since stopped performing after the demise of its leaders Wilson Peter Kinyonga and George Peter Kinyonga.

Asked how the duo met, Kabanze said "We were in Lubumbashi when I met him (Nzanzi) and as musicians who wanted to go places, we decided to polish our careers in Nairobi."

Kabanze said they have nor performed outside Nairobi for a while but "does not mean we cannot go out there and do our beats in the four cities of Kenya."

The late Nzanzi leaves behind a number of children in Kenya and Tanzania. He divorced his wife many years back.