Where action will be for religious folk and revellers to usher in 2024

Rhumba star Mbilia Bel entertains fans on Christmas Day at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, ahead of her New Year's Eve concert at the same hotel. [Elvis Ogina, Standard] It's time to usher in the New Year in style. For the religious folk, the action will be in sacred institutions or at gospel concerts. For revellers, there will be events and parties to boot. December 31 is marked internationally with the hope of a great year ahead and is a symbolic bidding goodbye of the previous year and anything that may have gone wrong in it. "Because of the belief that what a person does on the first day of the year foretells what he will do for the remainder of the year, gatherings of friends and relatives have long been significant," Britannica reports on the importance of New Year festivities. Locally, we joke that the onset of December is fondly nicknamed Drink-cember, and that's because of how much partying Kenyans get up to through Christmas to New Year. We take a look at some of the top places where the action will be to usher in the New Year 2024. Churchill Show Crossover event / Christina Shusho's Shusha Nyavu concert The popular comedian Daniel Ndambuki aka Churchill is holding his much-anticipated crossover show at Garden City Mall in Nairobi. A promotional clip for the event uploaded on Instagram is captioned: "Uko na plans za wapi 31st Dec? Njoo #ShushaNyavu at this year's Churchill Show Crossover at Garden City Mall from 4pm till late!" Advance tickets The post adds that advance tickets are up for Sh2,000, VIP at Sh5,000 and VVIP at Sh10,000. One of the most exciting facts about this event is the list of celebrated gospel acts that will entertain fans, specifically Tanzanian gospel singer Christina Shusho, who will be performing due to popular demand. The ministering songstress has been a beloved musical figure this year, with her hit song Shusha Nyavu taking the country by storm and winning over more Kenyan audiences than ever. The Queen of African Rhumba, Mbilia Bel, is already in the country ahead of her New Year's Eve concert that will take place at the Nyama Choma ranch at Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi. "Having outdone herself in two previous concerts hosted in the country this year, the Congolese singer will be ending what seems to have been a Kenyan year in style," The Standard reported on her arrival into Kenya earlier this week. The Congolese singer told The Sunday Standard in an interview yesterday: " 'Nakei Nairobi' is my most popular song of all time and has earned me the most money and opened many doors. My then-husband Tabuley introduced me to Kenya. He wrote me all my Swahili songs, including Nairobi, Nadina. He told me Kenyans love him and so they will love my music too and propel me to greatness." The singer noted that this will be one of her final shows, as she looks forward to a future of mentoring young girls, especially upcoming musicians. Born Marie Claire Mboya Moseka, the singer is adored locally and internationally, as she has bagged multiple enviable awards in her career, as well as held many successful shows. Safari Park's Assistant Sales and Marketing Manage Samson Mwangangi told The Sunday Standard the stage Mbilia Bel will perform tomorrow (Sunday) is very special and has not been used in years. It's a stage that hosted African music icons like Brenda Fassie and Lucky Dube. He said the hotel chose Mbilia because "being a family hotel with historical signature fashion, we wanted someone whose taste cuts across generations and fits a family set-up to entertain our customers". Popular social media personality Kamene Goro will be hosting an all-white party at Whiteball Lounge in Nyali, Mombasa. There will be celebrity DJs like Joe Mfalme entertaining party-goers, as well as a notable performance by the celebrated rapper Mejja. On his social media accounts, Mejja notes that he will be at the coast for the New Year festivities, first at Mtwapa's The Yatch Grounds for a concert dubbed The Jump Off and then, the next day he is set to usher in the New Year at the all-white party. There will be crossover keshas at various churches. From Jubilee Christian Church's Crossover Kesha which starts at 9pm to the Prophetic Night of Harvest Crossover featuring various reverends at the Freedom Embassy Arena, there will be multiple worship events to choose from. AllEvents website lists more religious events on New Year's Eve, including the Crossover Kesha by the Christian Outreach Ministries and another similar service by the House of Transformation Ministries. Grand fireworks In Nairobi, an entertainment company GTC/AVIC is set to spend Sh150 million for a grand New Year's Eve fireworks show which will be done off their building. The Mama Ngina Waterfront Park has been playing host to the first Mombasa International festival that has been running since Christmas Day and will conclude with a mega New Year's Eve crossover party. Apart from Mama Ngina Waterfront, Mombasa residents are set to patronise popular beaches such as Jomo Kenyatta (Pirates), Nyali, Mtwapa, Jomvu and Shelly beaches for a warm swim. As they celebrate their 50 years in existence, Them Mushrooms Orchestra is in Nakuru City to entertain guests and revellers to usher in the New Year. The band will be at Sarova Woodlands Hotel on the Nakuru/Nairobi Highway. Band leader John Katana Harrison confirmed they are ready to give their fans their best numbers that have ruled the airwaves for the past four decades in East and Central Africa. "We're in the city (Nakuru) again to give our fans what they deserve from us after some time. You can be assured we'll not disappoint but be ready for the occasion," Harrison told The Standard yesterday. Serious business "We are here for serious business and we appeal to our fans to turn up in big numbers for the occasion," added Harrison who beamed with confidence. The band was recently given a standing ovation in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where it received heavy awards from Ethiopian Music authorities for the band's service to humankind through their songs. The band will be supported by the presence of two experienced Nakuru Disco Jockeys (DJs) in Master of Ceremonies (MC) Alvan Love and DJ Slim. Sarova Woodlands General Manager Duncan Mwangi welcomed the band to their premise. "This is a good gesture for a musical outfit that has entertained the high and the mighty and all residents in their musical career in the Kenyan landscape. And we welcome them to do so here (Nakuru City)," said Mwangi. Them Mushrooms arrival comes at a time when the city is full of a hive of activities to usher in the New Year tomorrow. Yesterday, witnessed the arrival of different guests from all over the country who were booked in a number of prominent hotels in readiness for the celebrations. Harrison said they came at a time when their fans longed for their beats and they were ready to give their best "We have come and we'll come again for more of such occasions. Our appeal is come and support us as we support you," he told their fans. Mwangi said the arrival of Them Mushrooms into the city gave the area a milestone as a great tourist destination and appealed to the residents to turn up for the festivities. "We should be identified with our home bands and African music in every aspect and occasion and for this. I appeal to the city residents to come and keep pace with the African music", he said. [Kirsten Kanja, Patrick Beja and Ben Ahenda]

Where action will be for religious folk and revellers to usher in 2024

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