A tale of crooner par excellence

“Hakuna kitu kibaya sana humu duniani kama shida/ Haichagui mtu, siku wala miaka/ Haina katu taarifa, shida wengi, shida bila hodi/ Si mtoto wala mkubwa wote shida, Kila siku shida/ Shida haiishi hadi siku ya mwisho.”

There are the lyrics from one of the many songs that used to be played early in the mornings on the Voice of Kenya radio, now KBC, when I was growing up. The man behind these immortal words was Tanzanian singer Mbaraka Mwaruka Mwinshehe, who died 38 years ago.

Mbaraka, who was born on June 27, 1944, was the second born in a family of 12 children. His father, Mwinshehe Mwaruka, was a clerk at one of the  big sisal farms in Tanzania.

But the early Tanzanian music scene is greatly associated with another man, Salim Abdullah.

Salim formed a band in 1948 and for about 20 years, he dominated the scene, playing with his Cuban Marimba Band, until his death in a car accident in 1965.

At the time, musicians and other artistes faced a lot of restrictions from the socialist administration of President Julius Nyerere.

So in 1973, just like many other Tanzanian artistes of the time, the gifted Mbaraka switched his base from Tanzania to Kenya, where there were better recording studios as well as a bigger music market.

Then Kenya-based Congolese godfather of rumba Baba Gaston also first moved to Tanzania, but it was not until he came to Kenya that he realised true success. Mbaraka left behind bands such as Western Jazz, who were famous for the song Vigelegele, and Kilwa Jazz, which excelled at using Congolese melodies in their Swahili songs.

This was not be the first time Mbaraka had left in search of something. While he was still in high school in 1965 he dropped out in Form Three to follow his passion. He had developed an interest in music at a very young age and joined Morogoro Jazz, a local band as a tin whistle artiste. 

While still in school, Mbaraka established his reputation as a member of Morogoro Jazz Band, between 1964 and 1973.

EXCEPTIONAL GUITARIST

His guitar strumming style made him one of the best soloists of his time, exploring several genres such as Suluhu, Likembe, Masika and Zole Zole.  He produced hits such as Shida, Pole Dada, Mtaa wa Saba, Bibi ya Watu, and Nisalimie Wana Zaire.

In 1970, his Morogoro Band travelled to Japan for an expo as part of the Tanzanian cultural team. Others were Mzee Morris Nyanyusa, famous for playing 10 drums, Dar es Salaam University Theatre Group, and Mzee Mayagilo with Tanzania Police Brass Band.

Mbaraka was one of the hottest properties in the music industry in East Africa and many believe that he was yet to reach the peak when the died. He was exceptional as he played the solo, wrote songs and sang.

When he arrived in Kenya, he changed the band’s name to Super Volcano Jazz, and signed up with PolyGram Records.

His wife Amne Kadribaksh said her family was well-compensated and for a long time they enjoyed royalties from his music until when Africans took over leadership positions at PolyGram.

Says a fan, Mr Jerome Ogola: “The late Mbaraka Mwinshehe was an exceptional guitarist. At one point, he would play like Dr Nico and at another point he would play like Franco. He was a hybrid of the two guitar greats from Africa. The technique earned him a huge following.  He sang in Swahili making it easy for the people to follow the narratives. Those were the days when musicians were born, not manufactured.”

Mbaraka and his wife had three children, two boys and a girl known as Muhitaji (short form Taji). She followed in her father’s footsteps and she is today a songwriter, singer and bassist with a band in Tanzania.

Kenyan musician Teddy Kalanda Harrison of Them Mushrooms had this to say about Mbaraka: “He was a gifted musician who was loved by many people, including me. He was one of the finest musicians to have ever graced East Africa. In fact, he still remains one of the best songwriters and guitarists from East Africa. One of my favourite songs by him was Tina Turudiane.”

He urged Kenya’s new generation of musicians to perfect their song writing skills so that Kenyans and the rest of the world can listen to them for a lifetime. And one of the ways they can do this, he advised, is by listening and emulating musicians such as Kakai Kilonzo and his Kilima Mbogo Brothers Band.

Mbaraka died on January 13, 1979, at 1.55am, when the white Peugeot 404 he was travelling in rammed a stationary lorry near Kigonya Church in Mombasa.

His body was transported to the border by friends and relatives and it was received by officials from the Tanzanian Ministry of Culture.

In the car, Mbaraka had two companions, who also died. He was buried in his home village in Mzenga Kisarawe in Tanzania.

For someone who dropped out of school in Form Three, Mbaraka was able to accumulate immense wealth, becoming a very successful farmer. He also ventured into the transport business, something his family is now very well known for.