STELLA IS COMING AGAIN

On May 17th, poor Freshley Mwamburi will once again be at the airport, awaiting the touchdown of a Japanese flight from Tokyo because, apparently, one of the passengers on board is his lover, Stella. This is a story that the country relives every May, mainly for the drama so vividly captured by the composer.

Apart from the viral Kasongo, originally sung by the Congolese expatriate band in Nairobi, Super Mazembe, another song that has achieved iconic status in Kenya is Stella by Freshley Mwamburi. This evergreen song has become an internet sensation, perhaps because it resonates deeply with a common narrative: the tale of women accused of taking advantage of men, often under the pretense of traveling to meet them or only to swindle them in a scheme that has come to be known by the phrase ‘kula fare,’ which loosely translates to swindling fare.

Mwamburi’s song narrates the breathtaking moment when a woman, supposedly the same Stella he supported financially, including selling off his farm and car to fund her education abroad, disembarks from a plane. She’s holding an infant and is accompanied by her four-foot-tall Japanese husband.
Unsure how to react, Freshley attempts to cry in the few languages he knows. He fails to do so in Kamba but manages to mumble a few words in Dholuo: "An atim ang'o jowa, Freshley?" ("What do I do, Freshley?"). The story highlights the frustration many men experience after investing heavily in women’s education, only to be abandoned when the women finish school and become independent.

This reality is not uncommon, but there are few platforms that address it. Perhaps that’s why Mwamburi’s emotionally charged artistic portrayal has struck such a chord with the public. It has left some men depressed and some suicidal. It is a theme that so much resonates with many people, only that it remains a lacuna, mostly unaddressed. Is the story real? The singer has, on several occasions, implied it is. However, a closer look suggests it may not be entirely true. In earlier interviews, Freshley claimed the story was fictional and just a song.

However, in more recent interviews, he maintains it reflects a true personal experience. "I met Stella in 1991 when I went to perform at the Garden Hotel in Machakos after my band, Everest Kings, relocated from Thika," Freshley told a local daily. "At the time, Stella was studying at the University of Nairobi, but she left for Japan in 1992 to further her studies. She later told me she wanted to settle down, and I gave her my blessings. She briefly returned to Kenya before relocating to Tanzania with her Japanese husband." From an objective standpoint, it's unlikely the song recounts events exactly as they happened.

If Stella had truly chosen to settle with someone else, would she still have chosen to travel on the exact date her former lover was waiting for her at the airport? That part feels contrived. The story may be partly true, exaggerated for effect, or entirely fictional, dramatized to better capture the public’s imagination. There’s also a tendency, especially among rumba musicians, to craft stories in songs that don’t directly reflect the life of the person being honored. A musician might pay tribute to someone by weaving in an unrelated narrative simply to keep the audience engaged.

That said, beyond the story, Stella is backed by a beautifully captivating melody that helps it stick in the minds of listeners. Including a specific date in the lyrics was a masterstroke; it has turned “Waiting for Stella” into an annual cultural moment. By other measures, however, Stella may not necessarily be Mwamburi’s most musically sophisticated work, particularly when judged by instrumentation alone.

Freshley, who hails from Kenya’s coast, began his musical journey with the legendary Simba Wanyika in 1983 before joining its offshoot, Les Wanyika, in 1987. There, he contributed to classics like Lipi La Ajabu and Mama Watoto. Later, alongside Abdul Muyonga, he helped form Mavalo Kings, which was later rebranded to Everest Kings, likely to reflect their aspirations for greater heights. True to this ambition, Everest Kings has produced several remarkable hits, including Panga Mipango, Siri Moyoni, Rebecca, Pete, Visa, and Bonanza Simu, songs that have enjoyed massive popularity on the radio and in clubs.

No doubt, this May 17th, fans will once again renew their love for this classic tale of heartbreak and nostalgia, Stella by Freshley Mwamburi.

By Jerome Ogola

Jabulani Radio

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