Emmanuel Jal opens organic café in Nairobi

The artist says the eatery, which will serve traditional African food and natural juices and spices, forms part of his initiative to inculcate healthy eating habits in order to combat rising diet-related non-communicable diseases.

Speaking at the establishment’s opening last week, Jal said the business, located in the bustling Kenyatta Market, would also incorporate artist development programmes and community-driven fundraising activities aimed at improving the welfare of the urban poor.

“One of the main reasons that we opened in Kenyatta Market is because we would like to become a part of the amazing small business community operating here,” he said.

“We will work with these resilient traders and craftsmen on a number of projects, with a small percentage of the earnings going to charity work. We will also look for upcoming artists to champion our initiatives and in return we will support their work.”

The artist said Jal Gua was born after he managed to reverse a life-threatening condition by changing his dietary habits. “I am genetically predisposed to hypertension and during my late 20s, I developed a soda addiction where I would down up to three litres of Coke a day. This, coupled with a hectic touring and interview schedule, raised my blood pressure to a point where I almost died one night in New York.”

After his close encounter with death, the musician started researching the best foods to beat hypertension and lose weight. “I discovered that the answer lies in the traditional African foods like sorghum and this is what I have been promoting since then,” he said.

Jal is a former child soldier who escaped to Kenya at the height of the Sudanese Civil War. He uses music to preach peace and highlight the burden of conflict on people. 

“I share my story through the arts, business and philanthropy. Through music, I advocate for healing, education and healthy living so that together we can create a positive global awakening,” he said. 

Jal has released seven studio albums, namely, Gua (2004), Ceasefire (2005), War Child (2008), See Me Mama (2012), The Key (2014), Naath (2018) and Shangah (2022).