Inaugural Nairobi Festival to feature 50 artists

The event, which will run until 17 December, was unveiled by the new Nairobi City County governor Johnson Sakaja.

The festival was conceived by the county government to celebrate Nairobi’s diversity and showcase its rich creative arts culture. It also aims to cement Nairobi’s position as a leading ICT hub in the region.

“The annual festival will consist of key pillars, namely, visual and performing arts, sports, culture, and trade,” Sakaja said. “In addition, there will be an information communication and technology zone whose aim will be to further the level of engagement between ICT professionals as well as to exhibit industry innovations.”

The six-day festival will see over 50 Nairobi-based musicians performing throughout the duration of the event. Some of the artists lined up include Jua Cali, Wakadinali, Ssaru, King Kaka, Femi One, H_Art Band, Real Jadi, and more. The performances will be complemented by DJ sets by some of the city’s leading mixmasters such as Joe Mfalme, Slim B and Mr T.

Sakaja added: “This extravaganza will provide a platform for Nairobi youth to showcase the abundant talent in this city and support the creative arts. We are open to partnerships to make Nairobi work. Within 30 days of assuming office, we have had a dozen partners put pen to paper to long-lasting partnership agreements, something that we are grateful for and do not take for granted.”

He revealed that the charges from the festival will go towards a Christmas kitty for the needy and vulnerable in Nairobi, and urged the residents to turn up and support the festival, assuring them of their security.

“Safety is very key for us as a county. We have recently beefed up security across the city and some of the incidents earlier reported have decreased. We continue putting these measures in place. For the festival, considering the numbers we are expecting, we are working together with all security agencies to ensure the festival is a safe environment,” Sakaja said.