Alpha Blondy to headline Koroga Festival in Kenya

The 21 September line-up will feature Kenya's Sailors, Decimators and Zzero Sufuri. The main event will take place a day later and see Blondy headline the event, which also features Kenya's Redsan and Wyre.

Launched in 2014, Koroga Festival is organised by the Capital Group Limited and celebrates African music and food. Nigeria's Afrobeat giant Femi Kuti headlined the last edition along with his Positive Force band.

Speaking ahead of the festival, the commercial director of Capital Group Limited, Farida Idris said: "Everything has been put in place by the Koroga Festival team to ensure our fans have a great experience as it is the custom of all our events".

Blondy said: "I am excited to be performing in Nairobi after a long break; it feels good to be back to this beautiful country in the motherland Africa."

Blondy is no stranger to East Africa. He has previously performed in Kenya in 2013 and Rwanda in 2017 during the Kigali UP! Music festival. His music is a progressive fusion of rock, reggae-tinged with African and Jamaican flavour.

Over the years, the former United Nation's ambassador for the peace in Ivory Coast has remained close to his mission to dispense a message of peace and reconciliation while addressing political turmoil; attributes that have previously landed him on the wrong side of the law.

For instance, his song 'Brigadier Sabari' (Poor Silly Me) was composed as a testimony to a brutal police raid during which he was beaten close to death.

Blondy's songs are composed in French, English and his native language Dioula. His hits include 'Jerusalem', "Sweet Fanta Diallo', 'Coco Dirock', Peace in Liberia', 'God is One' and 'Whole Lotta Love', among others.

Blondy, who just returned from a performance in Belgium, USA and Puerto Rico, respectively, will again embark on a series of tours after the Nairobi event.

The 28 edition of Koroga Festival will take place from 30 November to 1 December 2019.

Alpha Blondy 2019 European tour:

• 14.10.2019 – Casino De Paris, Paris, France.
• 26.10.2019 – Theater National, Brussels, Belgium.
• 06.10.2019 – Sony Hall, New York, USA.