Kamande wa Kioi, a renowned Kikuyu musician is well known for hits like “Mami nikii wekire baba,” “Kaana funny,” and “Miau kapussy gakwa,”.
Born the seventh of nine siblings in Kambiti, Murang’a, his journey has been marked by unexpected twists .
In a recent conversation with Kameme FM, Kamande shared the story of how he escaped with his school fees, opening a hotel business in secret before eventually joining the police force without his family’s awareness.
Unfortunately, his business fell victim to a fire, compelling him to return to his village. There, he began entertaining locals for a modest fee, having acquired guitar-playing skills back in sixth grade.
Kamande’s story took an unexpected turn when he leveraged his talent as a guitar player and budding singer to secure a place in the Kenya Police force.
However, life in the police force was far from what he had imagined.
The community viewed him with suspicion and fear when he appeared in uniform with a gun.
Unbeknownst to him, his grandmother had cursed the police profession due to the tragic loss of her children during the Mau Mau uprising.
“During Mau Mau uprising, police killed five of her children. She hated them and warned her remaining children never to allow their children to join the police force,” he recounted.
Faced with opposition from his family and the weight of his grandmother’s curse, Kamande decided to quit the police force.
He returned to his village, where he began entertaining people with his guitar skills, carving out a niche for himself as a local performer.
Upon leaving the police force, Kamande ventured into the matatu business in Nairobi.
