Page 58 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 27 Final
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not visited Nigeria”. Cabinet at Kenyatta University. They were also to perform
minutes quote Mboya saying. the songs to Kenyatta
“This I believe gave rise Also in the team was Nat at his Gatundu home on
to considerable criticism Kofsky, a director East Africa September 4, 1963. Some
in Nigeria and we should conservatoire of Music, Mr other two people had been
certainly avoid a similar Peter Kibukosya, a music commissioned to do two
occurrence in Kenya.” teacher at Eregi teachers separate anthems. These
College who had graduated were Peter Colmore and Mr
Mboya had sat with his friend, from Mills College and Gerishon Manane. After
Graham Hyslop, who was Queens University, Belfast. all the three presentations,
Inspector of Music, and they Another was Dr Washington Kenyatta turned to the Cabinet
picked a small team to come Omondi, a music graduate to pick one tune. They picked
up with a national anthem. from Edinburg University the Commission’s tune and
Interestingly, Mr. Hyslop was and an expert. Kenya got a new National
never told about the white Anthem.
fears. But in the Cabinet, It With the tune accepted,
was no coincidence that the Kenyatta was not happy The final version of the
tune picked for the national with the second verse and anthem was recorded in
anthem originated from a asked the Commission to Kiswahili and English on
Pokomo lullaby. revise it and add a stanza on September 25 and 26, 1963.
devotion and readiness to The Kiswahili version was
The Mboya committee defend Kenya. This was due sung by the Railway Training
for the national anthem to the emerging secessionist School Choir conducted
included Thomas Kalume, demands from the Northern by Senoga-Zake, while
a music teacher at St Pauls Frontier District. It was combined choirs of *the
Theological College (he also suggested that more Alliance High School, the
later became an MP) and drumming be added to make Alliance Girls’ High School*
is credited as the man who it sound African. and the choir of the All Saints
floated the idea that first Cathedral Nairobi, conducted
stanza of the national anthem The commission retreated to by Hyslop, sang the English
start with “Oh God of all St Paul’s Theological College version.
Creations…”. The other was where Thomas Kalume was a
a Ugandan resident in Kenya, lecturer and it is here where On the night of December 12,
Dr George Zenoga Zake, the final anthem was crafted. 1963, only this group knew
first East African to enroll Hyslop’s All Saints Cathedral about the anthem. Everyone
for the prestigious Licentiate choir was picked to record else was in the dark.
of Royal Schools of Music the English version while
(LRSM) in 1956. He later Railway Training school did
became a professor of music the Kiswahili version.
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