Singer pulled crowds to the MS Kenya stall

Eric Wainaina, famous Kenyan singer attracted hundreds of people to the MS Kenya stall at the World Social Forum Tuesday January 23rd

24. January 2007

Music based on African rhytms but recorded in the US, attracted hundreds of people to the stall that MS Kenya is sharing with partners during the World Social Forum in Nairobi from January 20th to 25th.

In front of the piano was the famous Kenyan singer Eric Wainaina, who has just released a new CD titled ‘Twende-Twende’ (let’s go). On the CD Wainaina sings about social justice, human rights and struggles of the poor.

Apart from being a gifted musician, Eric Wainaina is also a MS Kenya Good will Ambassador, and MS Kenya has contributed economically to producing his newest release. Wainaina paid back generously by performing with his band twice during the third day of the WSF.

Slum performers got the chance

On both occasions hundreds of people gathered around the speakers to listen to both songs from the new CD and to evergreens like ‘Kito kidogo’ (something small, a bribe).

Before the second performance, a group of dancers named ‘ghetto stars’ from the Pumwani slums in Nairobi performed their skills in front of the crowd. The dancers work with MS Kenya partner St. John’s Community Center.

During the first three days of the forum a continuous flow of people have been passing by the stall that MS shares with partners Forest Action Network, Yiaku Peoples, OSIENALA (Friends of Lake Victoria), Catholic Diocese of Nakuru, Christian Community Services from Western Kenya and Peacenet.

Calenders, magazine and leaflets were handed out in hundreds or thousands. MS Kenya Director Anne Hoff is pleased with the representation of MS Kenya at the forum.

“Many people have gotten to know more about our activities and the way we work with our partners. The World Social Forum has made a unique platform for making MS Kenya and its principles  known both in Kenya and within the international civil society,” she states.
The performance of Eric Wainaina was not the only public event arranged by MS Kenya during the five day forum. Tuesday a skit about Female Genital Mutilation was performed by members of partner organisation Yiaku Peoples, an organisation working among Maasai communities in Lakipia.