Jamhuri Day 2005

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  The first part of the evening was the Miss Kenya UK 2005 contest where 56 women competed for the title.

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  Showing that a beauty contest is not just about looks, several judges were questioning the girls.

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  While 2Face's 'African Queen' is playing the finalists present themselves in front of the judges and audience.

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  The moment everybody has been waiting for has come: the compere is announcing winner.

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  Miss Kenya UK 2004 is passing on her crown to Miss Kakamega, the new Miss Kenya UK 2005, shown here with the two runners-up.

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  Levysill, part of the Watu Wangu collective, was the first artist to take to the stage.

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  Swedish-based, rapper/ producer Wawesh is currently making waves with his track 'Mjanja'. About this, his first UK performance, he said: 'My favourite bit was performing 'Heka Heka' which I had mixed with the Kenyan national anthem.'

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  Dro was the only non-Kenyan to perform at the event. He is a rapper from neighbouring Uganda and performed with a brilliant dancer.

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  Nana Ciira, London correspondent for Eve, a Kenyan women's magazine: 'To me Jamhuri Day is a chance to get together with my fellow Kenyans and acknowledge the sacrifices our forefathers made in fighting for our independence and to appreciate how far we have come.’

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  Nomasan, a group of dancers from Western Kenya, provided entertainment in the interlude.

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  The dancing didn't stop till 5am and Club Ntyce was filled with people showing of Kenyan flags and clothes.

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  Non-Kenyans attended the event too, such as TJ Vibesman from Nigeria (producer and presenter of Xtra on BEN TV) and DJ Lloyd Musara from Zimbabwe (broadcaster and DJ). TJ: Nameless and Redsan really entertained and managed to sustain the vibe during sets of about 45 minutes each.'

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  BBC 1Xtra was recording the event.

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  Swabri Mohamed aka Redsan goes on stage, undoubtedly one of the top two non-hip-hop solo acts in Kenya (the other one to follow straight after him).

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  DJ Edu (D.N.A. on BBC 1Xtra) and Sir Prestige (Watu Wangu/ Social Misfits) controlling the decks during Redsan's set.

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  Redsan on stage and a sea of hands, camera phones and adoring women. 

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  Redsan recently returned from America where he had been working on his new album. After his energetic performance he said: ‘The people here don't get to see artists like me and Nameless perform that often. This makes it more special than performing in Kenya.’

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  Amy (Watu Wangu) checking out the action on stage.

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  DJ Pinye getting ready for Nameless' set. Pinye is based in Nairobi and Kenya's number one club DJ, as well as having shows on radio (Nation FM) and TV (Nation TV).

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  David Mathenge aka Nameless gives a faultless high energy performance featuring all his hits, as well as 'Boomba Train', a tribute to the late E-Sir (Nameless originally featured on this track). 

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  Sir Prestige: "It was only right for 1Xtra to cover Jamhuri Day considering the '1Xtra In Africa' season kicked off in Nairobi. It was a good introduction for 1Xtra being a lot more involved in these type of events.”

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  This was the first time that these two massive Kenyan solo stars performed together. Nameless: "The event was billed as 'Nameless vs Redsan - Rumble in the Jungle'. Many people assume that there is rivalry between us but this performance hopefully showed that there is no animosity."  

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  1Xtra's DJ Edu was playing the heaviest African beats as well as compering parts of the night.  DJ Edu: "For me the hottest track of Jamhuri Day 2005 is undoubtedly 'Juju' by Nameless."  

• Club Ntyce, London, 10 December 2005

  

  Tim Kamuzu Banda, founding member of the Kenyan Society UK, the organisers of the event, ensured that the event went smoothly.

Photos by Ilka Schlockermann.