Man wins in battle for Kamba tag

File | Nation
Cultural nights such as this at the Carnivore Restaurant have become popular.

What you need to know:

  • Agreement to scout for artists while restaurant provides the grounds every March and September goes sour

The name Boniface Muema Ndangili might not ring a bell to many Kenyans, but one of his trademarks does. Mention Kililimbi and Kamba Night comes to mind.

But avoid the name. It exclusively belongs to Mr Ndangili, and is protected under the Trademarks Act.

Last week, Mr Ndangili’s ownership found legal backing when a judge stopped Tamarind Group, the owners of Carnivore Restaurant from using Kililimbi Nite for the cultural events they have been holding for five years.

Mr Ndangili moved to court in February after the restaurant locked him out of a deal. He told the judge he was issued with a registration certificate in 2006.

Mr Ndangili says 10 years ago, after he was involved in a road accident which saw him bed-ridden for two years, something strange happened: he started appreciating Kamba music.

He had never danced to any Kamba song, but he suddenly felt like dancing to any beat from the community.

“There was something burning inside me. I wanted to showcase the Akamba music… Tell the world that they can dance to the Kamba beat.”

Mr Ndangili opened a small club at Mlolongo called New Paradise kwa Ndangili. He says Kamba music was then at its lowest and he vowed to bring it back.

So he assembled Kamba musicians. He met David Kasyoka, he of the Katitu Boys Band. The man had left his guitar and taken to other pursuits. He also found Peter Mwambi of Changanga Boys and Joseph Mtaita of Super Kaiti Band.

From three bands the performances increased to between 10 and 14 groups every Friday.

Because of the huge turnout, Mr Ndangili divided the shows. Kililimbi (loosely translated to burning woods) on Fridays; Kakongoni (woodpecker) on Saturdays and Koivangula Ngove (wiping eyelids) for Sundays.

Patrons would jam the club from Friday to Sunday. By Sunday, he says, the patrons had no time to wash their faces hence the Koivangula Ngove show.

Mr Ndangili, 52, says the patrons later came up with their own show for Monday dubbed Ngenuka Nenda (I will go home when I want). “They asked me to start the Monday show.”

Sometimes in August 2004, someone from Carnivore restaurant came looking for him. She introduced herself as Lorna Irungu. The meeting saw the beginning of one of the biggest Kamba entertainment shows in Nairobi, the Kililimbi Nite.

But before he entered the agreement, Mr Ndangili was advised to register the name as a trademark. Among the images to accompany the name were a guitar, wine glass and green, red, black, yellow and purple, all favourite colours among the Kamba.

In the agreement, Mr Ndangili would scout for artists while the restaurant would provide the grounds. Two Kililimbi Nites would be held every year, in March and September. They would share gate collections.

There would also be plenty of traditional food and drinks — muthokoi and kaluvu. At the first performance, he recruited women from Kitui to prepare the dishes, says the father of two.

He closed his club at Mlolongo to concentrate on Kililimbi Nites.

“I wanted to give it my best. Competition was also too stiff.”

But last year, it dawned on him that his relationship with Carnivore had soured when it organised this year’s show without involving him.

Mr Ndangili, who trades as Panda Productions, was happy that his idea had been protected.