In November 1978, Prof. Omari Shabani led a revolt against the excesses of Wilson Peter Kinyonga in Simba Wanyika Band and formed Les Wanyika with support of media legends such as James Onyango Joel and Fred Obachi Machoka.
The new group was rejected by Polygram Records, the giant multi-national which had a contract with the original Simba Wanyika.
They recorded their first song ‘Jessica’ in a tiny studio in River Road.
However, the record had to be pressed at Polygram which was the only viny plant in the Eastern Africa region.
When the executives who had kicked out the new boys heard the track, they dashed to River Road led by the studio Chief Engineer Isaya Mwinamo to beg Prof. Omari Shabani for a contract.
The rejected brick, in essence, became the cornerstone.
It was a stiff competition between the Les and Simba, the hits like kasuku outplayed simba…it was only after Isha juma. Moved out and formed super wa nyika with the hits like sigalame is when the kinyonga brothers regained music momentum, those were the days.
Jabulani Radio
