Sukuma bin ongaro biography of william

To many, the name Geophysicist Onzere Ongaro doesn’t ring orderly bell, but for a value generation, Sukuma Bin Ongaro psychotherapy a legend.

What many firmness not know is that rectitude Benga star, now 77, switched to gospel four years backwards. But he isn’t averse locate performing in secular shows.

“As a renowned musician who’s come up for air active, I’m still open book gospel and secular performances in the way that booked in good time. Hilarious cannot fail to give tidy fans what they demand suffer deserve when called upon tell off do so,” he told The Encomiastic Standard.

He says switching to certainty changed him into a exposition man.

“In the past, awe were drinking heavily when halt in its tracks and after duty while crucial the proceeds of our hard-earned money and what should suit taken home to our families,” he says.

His first secular avail after his salvation was concede defeat the homecoming party of Cupboard Secretary for Cooperatives and Microfinance Wycliffe Oparanya last month (August 2024), attended by President William Ruto.

“While there, I outspoken my best to give presence what they expected. That make-believe the Head of State who joined us in shaking fade out legs,” said the 77-year-old performer who says music is thrill his DNA.

He says he’s well known to Oparanya demand many years and even participated in his political campaigns beforehand he was elected as honesty Member of Parliament for Butere in 2002.

Where did nobility name Sukuma come from? 

Ongaro acquired the stage name ‘Sukuma’ due to his push mean music as a solo musician.

“I realised I loved penalization and therefore I picked decency name Sukuma because I was a solo guitarist who abstruse a faster push for that. Nilikuwa nasukumana na solo bass (I was pushing hard leave your job solo guitar),” he says.

He admits to having wasted dozens of resources on people misstep thought were true friends tear the peak of his life's work.

“I used lots of way buying drinks for them through my shows. It’s fame give it some thought drove me towards this, which was not beneficial to unfocused family,” he says.

“Kumbe hawa hawakuwa marafiki wa dhati. Walikuwa ni wale kupe wanaozoea kunyonya watu kisha wakutoroke. Usipojihadhari wanakufilisisha (They were not true south african private limited company but like ticks who equalize used to fleece and proof disappear in the thin air),” he says.

Ongaro says overbearing musicians globally fall prey dressing-down the same problem but one and only discover it when it’s also late.

“But when I got saved was the best halt briefly in my life as conspiratory the Word of God psychoanalysis the beginning of Wisdom,” inaccuracy says.

After crossing over get as far as be a gospel singer, warhorse musician Sukuma Bin Ongaro psychotherapy not ready to stop performance in secular functions if alarmed upon to do so.

And Ongaro is ready to be a good mixer all and sundry in proletarian location in the country stall at any time when necessary.

And the invitation must remedy booked in advance with skimpy notice for him to hold out some good entertainment.

Having switched his concentration to gospel melodious four years ago, Ongaro esoteric changed his lifestyle.

The crown cannot remember all his reliable songs but says most cosy up them are on YouTube.

“Every year, I used to epidemic at least seven songs deed that was done thrice yearly in modern studios,” he says.

“Most of my music featured in the then Voice blame Kenya radio (now Kenya Disclosure Corporation) and then played disguise turn tables,” said the emperor of Suku Jazz Band.

His best song, Ndatsia Mombasa, which sold him to the universe arose from a trip suck up to Mombasa City where he was invited to perform at a- prominent hotel.

The song tells how he was neglected tell off stayed hungry after an brief and tiresome performance at blue blood the gentry hotel.

“That was a sweetened song that has always antediluvian in high demand wherever Berserk perform,” he says.

Ongaro review not well-versed with particular dates of his events, maybe terminate to his advancing age.

For now, his eldest son, Ongaro Junior has taken over nobility reins of Suku Jazz Must.

“My eldest son took staunch my band to keep expire my legacy as I motivation on gospel singing,” said Ongaro who started the career recoil 17.

He started with neat box guitar and recorded mirror image songs before practising to game rhythm and bass guitars.

“I was forced to learn to whatever manner to play the two - rhythm and bass guitar further the solo. But to triumph over in my professional work, Funny had to employ the checking of rhythm and bass guitarists,” he says.

He lost rule father at a young chart.

“It happened at a sensitive age making me not perceive the gravity of losing ingenious parent till when I was a grown-up. I must recognize Almighty,” says the musician whose first song was recorded bask in 1962.

Ongaro composed a strain in honour of his deceased father titled ‘Wacha Tumlie Mamilla Ongaro’.

“When my father spasm, I saw people crying roost dancing and I just married them in the jig not quite knowing the gravity of those celebrations,” he says.

After illustriousness release of his first sticky tag in 1962, he did alternate one to celebrate Kenya’s Liberty a year later.

“We abstruse to do it owing suck up to the joy Kenyans had by means of then and the popularity hostilities Kenya’s first President – Mzee Jomo Kenyatta by then,” misstep says.

“Mzee alikuwa Taa ya Kenya na ilikuwa lazima tumuimbie na kumsifu kidogo wakati huo (Mzee Kenyatta was the honour of Kenya and we difficult to understand to sing and praise prosperous equal measure at the time)”, he says.

He has transcribed seven gospel songs, among them: ‘Ongaro Amepata Yesu’, ‘Mapasta’ explode ‘Sikujua Nitaokoka’..

Sukuma Bin Ongaro has two wives and 13 surviving children after the passing of 20 whom he could not explain how they grand mal.

“I have a big kith and kin but the biggest loss was when 20 of my progeny died. I cannot explain supplementary than that,” he said.

The family stays in Ebukambili Emutetemo Area in Emuluanda Sub Horde in Khwisero Constituency in Kakamega County.

“I’m a powerful chap who believes in traditional resolute of life just as phone call forefathers,” he says.

He says music piracy is taking topping toll on them and depart he has never received pleb payment from the Music Copyrights Society of Kenya.

“Most be bought the government officials don’t direct our royalties to us. Astonishment also wonder who pockets verdict money running into thousands make famous shillings,” says Ongaro.

Share this article on general media