• De'Mathew died on Sunday evening in a road accident near Thika town.
• He was one of the brains behind the formation of the Talented Musicians and Composers Association
Image: STANLEY NJENGA
Central Kenya musicians will remember John Mwangi, the Kikuyu benga music maestro popularly known as De’ Mathew, as a unifier and a fighter for their rights.
They will also remember him as one of the brains behind the sacco known as the Talented Musicians and Composers Association (Tamco).
De’Mathew worked relentlessly for the unity of singers and the eventual formation and registration of Tamco after the death of another Kikuyu music legend Joseph Kamaru last year.
Kamaru's burial was attended by among others President Uhuru Kenyatta, who during the occasion, invited the musicians to State House.
The invitation was not honoured due to wrangles between secular and gospel musicians over who would be the guests of the Head of State.
De'Mathew, who died on Sunday evening in a road accident, took it upon himself and a few others to unite Kikuyu musicians. The efforts bore fruits with the formation of Tamco.
The benga king was elected the chairman. His mobilisation skills were enormous. He clarified in an interview with the Star that Tamco was not formed as a platform to meet the President but to empower musicians financially and agitate for their rights.
“Teachers, bodaboda operators, matatu operators and other groups have saccos. Why not musicians? We are role models and should lead from the front,” De Mathew said.
Tamco, which has over 300 shareholders, was launched in Murang'a in April this year. Governor Mwangi wa Iria gave the sacco a Sh2 million boost. It has since invested in a plot worth Sh8 million at Kenol town.
De Mathew regretted that many musicians died poor despite their popularity.
Tamco spokesperson Ben Githae said that De'Mathew had already steered the sacco to great heights. The sacco intends to build a five-storey building on its Kenol plot. The building will have a studio, offices and conference rooms.
Githae is the singer of Uhuruto Tano Tena song whose popularity spread across the country during the 2017 presidential campaign.
Gospel artist Ngaruiya Junior, popularly known as King of Kigoco, said De'Mathew wanted to see all musicians empowered and he mentored many of them. "The sacco provides that platform and we will forever miss our chairman,” Ngaruiya said.