Joseph Kamaru

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Kenyan musical artist (1939-2018)

title: "Joseph Kamaru" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1939-births", "kenyan-musicians", "kikuyu-people", "2018-deaths", "people-from-murang'a-county", "kenyan-gospel-musicians", "neurological-disease-deaths-in-kenya", "deaths-from-parkinson's-disease"] description: "Kenyan musical artist (1939-2018)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Kamaru" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Kenyan musical artist (1939-2018) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]

FieldValue
nameJoseph Kamarū
birth_date1939
birth_placeKangema, British Kenya
death_date3 October 2018 (aged 79)
death_placeNairobi, Kenya
occupationMusician, political activist
years_active1965–2018
module{{Infobox musical artist
genreBenga, gospel
backgroundnon_vocal_instrumentalist
instrumentsVocal, guitar
past_member_ofThe Kamaru Supersounds
::

| name = Joseph Kamarū | birth_date = 1939 | birth_place = Kangema, British Kenya | death_date = 3 October 2018 (aged 79) | death_place = Nairobi, Kenya | occupation = Musician, political activist | years_active = 1965–2018 | module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes |genre = Benga, gospel |background = non_vocal_instrumentalist |instruments = Vocal, guitar |label = |website = |past_member_of = The Kamaru Supersounds Joseph Kamarū (1939 – 3 October 2018) was a Kenyan Benga and gospel musician and political activist. He was an icon, a hero, and a leading Kikuyu musician, who has sold about half a million records. He was notable for his politically motivated songs either praising or criticizing the government. His music covered the teachings of life, promiscuity and sexual harassment in Kenyan politics and social culture.

He was known for his friendship with President Jomo Kenyatta, but after writing a song condemning the murder of JM Kariuki, they ceased to be close. He also wrote songs praising President Daniel arap Moi.

Early life

Kamarū was from Kangema, Muranga District. In 1957 he moved to Nairobi where he got a cleaning job. His first formal job was working as a house-help and a nanny, earning enough money to purchase his first guitar. He started pursuing music in 1965.

Career

Kamarū made his first breakthrough in 1967 with Celina. The height of his musical career was between 1975 and 1985 due to the release of adults-only cassettes, all dealing with Kikuyu folk songs. In the late 1980s he was the first Kenyan artist to play at the Carnivore Restaurant, then only hosting foreign artists. According to Martin Dunford, the owner of the restaurant, Kamarū's vibrant performance opened doors for other Kenyan artists to perform at the venue.

Many of Kamarū's songs were political, either praising or criticizing the government. Initially he had a good relationship with president Jomo Kenyatta, After Kenyatta's death, the succeeding president, Daniel arap Moi, was close to the artist. In 1980, Kamarū toured Japan as a part of President Moi's entourage. After the visit he composed Safari ya Japan praising the president. Moi grew displeased with Kamarū's support for multiparty democracy in the late 1980s.

Kamarū received significant support from Voice of Kenya radio presenter Job Isaac Mwamto, who embraced the rise of Kenyan music, by presenting Kamarū's music to his radio stations. The songs launched his status as a Kikuyu music legend and impacted East Africans’ music scene with classic hits such as "Gathoni" and "Charia Ungi".

In the 1990s, Kamarū announced that he had been "born again" and would no longer perform the secular music on which he had built his career. He would however make several secular performances years later. The change saw a plunge in his record sales. Kamarū was once the chairman of the Kenya Association of Phonographic Industries (KAPI), and owned a church ministry in Nairobi. He also ran two record stores in Nairobi. Kamarū expressed interest in building a Kikuyu cultural home on one of his many farms in Mūrang'a to safeguard and protect the Kikuyu culture, though this was not accomplished as he died in October 2018.

Illness and death

In April 2018, after a circulating death hoax, Kamarū confirmed his good health in an interview with the Daily Nation. In the interview, Kamarū said "God could not take me until I oversaw changes in the music industry and mentor upcoming musicians to get the best songs for their audiences and in return get a better pay".

Kamarū died on 3 October 2018 at the age of 79 at a hospital in Nairobi from complications of Parkinson's disease. He was survived by 2 siblings, 1 daughter and 3 sons.

References

References

  1. (4 October 2018). "Kikuyu benga musician Joseph Kamaru dead at 79".
  2. (4 October 1999). "World Music: Africa, Europe and the Middle East". Rough Guides.
  3. Eastafricanmusic.com: [http://www.eastafricanmusic.com/busines2.htm The Music Business in Kenya]
  4. "Popular Kikuyu musician Joseph Kamaru dies at MP Shah Hospital". The Standard Media.
  5. Daily Nation, Lifestyle Magazine, 18 April 2009: [http://www.nation.co.ke/magazines/lifestyle/-/1214/561406/-/8tvln0z/-/index.html The memoirs of a musical maverick]
  6. Kimani Njogu & Hervé Maupeu (2007): [https://books.google.com/books?id=dsTyGpltiEwC Songs and Politics in Eastern Africa]
  7. (3 October 2018). "Veteran Musician Joseph Kamaru Passes Away". Kenyans.co.
  8. (4 October 2018). "Legendary Kikuyu musician Joseph Kamaru dies in Nairobi". The Star.
  9. (18 July 2018). "Kikuyu music legend Joseph Kamaru in need of medial aid". The Star.
  10. "From Darkness to Light the Untold Journey of Gikuyu Musical Legend Joseph Kamaru". SDE.co.ke.
  11. Daily Nation, 7 July 2006: [https://archive.today/20120907013501/http://www.propertykenya.com/news/009363-my-take---joseph-kamaru.php My Take - Joseph Kamaru]
  12. "Kenyan Music Stays 'Unbwogable' in Hard Times".
  13. (4 October 2018). "Musician Joseph Kamaru Dies at 79". The Daily Nation.
  14. "Musician Joseph Kamaru, 79, dies at MP Shah Hospital". Daily Nation.
  15. "KMRU spaces".

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1939-birthskenyan-musicianskikuyu-people2018-deathspeople-from-murang'a-countykenyan-gospel-musiciansneurological-disease-deaths-in-kenyadeaths-from-parkinson's-disease