Boyieta Boys ‘Ohangla’ Band, whose nine members died after their boat capsized in Lake Victoria in June last year got a new lease of life, Sports, Culture and Arts CS Hassan Wario has said.
President Uhuru Kenyatta handed new music equipment to band leader Timothy Otieno during his visit to Kisumu on Tuesday at Kisumu State Lodge.Uhuru was in the town to
preside over the 58th Kenya National Drama Festival. The president was with
Wario and
PS Joe Okudo.
Last year, the government pledged it would revive the 17-member band, which lost its instruments in the tragedy. Nine members survived.
“We were keen to ensure that the youthful talent of the Boyieta team did not disappear with the trauma of the members’ death, and their revival has been an inspiration to other fledgling artists,” Okudo said.
Otieno thanked the government for rekindling their hope. “Upon the death of my nine members, a sense of hopelessness covered me. But now it is a miracle that I have been helped to my feet and given new equipment to entertain my increasingly big fan base,” said the 24-year-old from Awasi said.
