Sarabi band members, from right, Reuben Besa, John Maluni, Bernard Oduor, Bella Were and Peter Mbau during a rehearsal at KAG Church Buruburu Studio in Nairobi on November 13, 2024.
Photo credit: Boniface Bogita | Nation Media Group
In a third-floor studio in Nairobi's industrial area, the Sarabi Band jams through the final crescendo of their hit song Wang'ni. Lead singer Ambasa Mandela takes centre stage in an enchanting jig before Bernard ‘Master’ Oduor strikes the last note on his drums.
A brief period of silence is followed by George ‘Ndetch’ Ndiritu, the band’s long-time manager’s voice, a conversation on what the band would wear for the next day’s performance, full denim, is the consensus.
On a wooden bench to one side of the room sits Christar Bella Were, Sarabi’s vocalist and the only female member of the ensemble.
Next to her is her young daughter. The little girl sits, unaffected by the loud notes. She may yet be unaware of this but she was born in a tumultuous period.
When her mother was heavily pregnant with her, Sarabi was experiencing a stage that every band would relate to – growth and the prospect of members going their separate ways. In Sarabi’s case, it was the latter.
The break
“People grow. One could feel they’re outgrowing the band, want to pursue a solo career,” says their manager.
He however stresses, “We don’t say we broke up, we took a break.” Ndetch, as he’s known in music circles, a father figure to the band and a percussionist in his own right started noticing chinks in the band’s armour after the 2015 edition of the band’s tour of Denmark at the Roskilde festival.
The next year, to their fans’ chagrin, Sarabi called it quits on the collective with Ambasa Mandela going his own way in pursuit of a solo career.
Other members of the band also went on to delve into their own projects. Antony Kimangu, the group’s percussionist went into organising and learning the art of management on top of playing with other groups.
Jack Muguna who plays guitar for them went the jazz way, Adam Mwadama ‘Dushman’, acoustic guitarist extraordinaire went on to further his education in Scandinavia.
The remaining members kept the name and the progressive songs they were known for but for hardcore fans, it wasn’t the same.
John Maluni, a keyboardist with the Sarabi Band, during a rehearsal at the KAG Church Buruburu Studio in Nairobi on November 13, 2024.
Photo credit: Boniface Bogita | Nation Media Group
Having been a unit from when they were barely teenagers, with the group depleted, the sound couldn’t stay the same. During that time, the band’s bassist, Haron Waceke was involved in a freak accident and had to in time be replaced by Reuben Besa who said goodbye to his training in mugithi music to join the new look Sarabi seven years ago.
Growing pains
Today, all back together (Mwadama is expected back in the country imminently), each member of the band puts a positive spin on the parting of ways all those years back.
Kimangu, the percussionist says, “It was a journey, a sabbatical to find ourselves.” The newest member, bassist Besa says, “We are taking it more seriously now, we push each other more.”
For electric guitarist and former aspirant for the Kiamaiko County Assembly seat, Peter Mbau, he gets philosophical and gives the analogy of a catapult being pulled back to deliver its load further and with maximum effect.
Mbau adds, “We have come back more mature, our vision is much clearer. Everyone in the band has gone through personal and musical growth and we are more than ready to take over the world!”
Mandela reckons the mother ship is always the safest vessel to be in while keyboardist John Maluni says they’ve only just woken up.
As the only female member of the team, Bella Were has morphed into the self-proclaimed disciplinarian of Sarabi going forward, cracking the law as she deems it fit.
The rest have fallen in line and Mwadama will have to fit into her regime when he gets back into the country.
The crusades
Following the Gen Z protests earlier in the year, the group who never lost touch with each other saw the need to speak in one melody again, as the voice of a generation.
Their first performance back together was on October 20, Mashujaa Day, in Mathare in what they have dubbed ‘the crusades’ in an attempt at prompting the masses back to consciousness with their progressive music and catchy sound.
Sarabi band member Peter Mbau plays an electric guitar during a rehearsal at the KAG Church Buruburu Studio in Nairobi on November 13, 2024.
Photo credit: Boniface Bogita | Nation Media Group
According to manager Ndiritu, Sarabi Band will look to present a monthly showcase, a crusade to members of the community in all of Nairobi’s 17 constituencies before, with other like-minded artistes, moving the message further afield.
Two decades
Come 2026, Sarabi will celebrate their vicenary – 20 years of playing music for Kenya and the world. Plans are in the pipeline for the release of more music and with that to reclaim their place on the world stage.
Reuben Besa surmises that Sarabi is the most travelled Kenyan band and would like to claim back that perceived throne and to get back touring.
In the meantime, a mega-show is soon to be staged at The Alchemist, Nairobi on December 5, 2024 in what is a call-back to their fans that they are back together and back to stay.
A real family
“Now you have to think about how your decisions affect the rest of the group,” says Bella, as she agrees that Sarabi is indeed now more of a family than before.
Before parting ways, Kimangu is quick to reveal that Sarabi doesn’t leave any man, or woman behind. He says that former bassist Waceke, replaced due to his accident is now back in the band as sound engineer and producer.
