Members of the famous Bomas choir have not been paid, cries 4 months after elections

Peter Gitaa, the CEO of the Bomas of Kenya, said that they have been unable to pay the vendors because they, the Bomas of Kenya, had not been paid by the IEBC, for whom they were serving as representatives.

 

During the General Election in August 2022, Kenyans were entertained at Bomas of Kenya by a group of singers comprised of members of various choirs.

These singers are now raising a fuss because they have not been compensated for the services they provided.

The singers have said that more than five months have passed since they enthralled Kenyans as the nation eagerly awaited the outcome of the presidential election and that they have not yet received the money that had been promised to them.

Mwalimu Thomas Wasonga, a seasoned musician and composer, served as the group's coordinator.

Wasonga was hired by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to provide entertainment to Kenyans as they waited for the results of the presidential election.

Nearly a week was spent at Bomas by the choir, during which time they sang patriotic songs that helped ease tensions among Kenyans. Many individuals expressed their happiness at the choir's presence.

However, some members of the choir have come out to claim that they have not yet been paid the money that they have labored for, even though schools will resume their regular schedules on Monday.

According to Victor Onyango, a lead vocalist in one of the choirs at Bomas, Mwalimu Wasonga told them that they would get their compensation six weeks after the results of the presidential election were announced.

He had no idea that the next six weeks would be equivalent to nearly six months.

"At Bomas of Kenya, the choir was one of the available service providers. We were brought in to provide services, just like the rest of the other people who were engaged to make the process go well. So it was expected that we would be compensated similarly to everyone else. 

According to Onyango, he proceeded by saying: "Mwalimu Wasonga, our capable commander, predicted that the money would arrive in two months. It has been a quarter of a year, and we still haven't seen any of the money. Although we don't want to place the blame on Mwalimu for this holdup, someone has to take action."

 

"We had families that watched us work every day on TV, but after we finished our shifts, we had nothing to show for it."

According to Onyango, 80 percent of the choir members rely exclusively on their singing to provide for them financially.

 

As a result, their way of life as well as the lives of their families have been negatively impacted as result of the late payment.

"I can say with absolute certainty that the majority of the persons you witnessed singing in that choir do not engage in any other activities besides singing."

" This is how they make their living. The fact that their money is being withheld has a significant impact on them.

"They have families, and their children have just started back to school," Onyango lamented.

Onyango asserts the choir was strongly encouraged to sing as much as possible to reduce the anxiety that swallowed up Bomas of Kenya ahead of the disrupted official statement of the presidential results.

This was the case even as the circumstances deteriorated and got out of control when William Ruto was proclaimed the winner of the race. 

Onyango was speaking about the tensile stresses that engulfed Bomas of Kenya ahead of the delayed announcement of the presidential results.

Chrisphine Ochieng, a singer who is a part of the Bomas of Kenya choir, expressed thoughts quite similar to his own.

Ochieng claims that he has been performing as a vocalist for the last six years and that his time at Bomas was one of the most memorable moments of his career.

"It was a wonderful opportunity to perform for the people of Kenya at such a significant turning point in the history of our nation."

"Those who were responsible for planning it have a good understanding of what our nation needs," Ochieng stated.

However, much like Onyango, he has not yet been paid for the services he has rendered, and as a result, he is experiencing a great deal of frustration.

"It is taking a very long time, which is annoying."

"I gave serious consideration to making a profession as a singer; my family had seen me on television performing, and when I returned home without a contract, they questioned my decision," Ochieng adds.

He goes on to say that he is unsure whether or not they will ever be paid for their work since it has taken much longer than they had planned.

Due to the delay in payment, local media got in touch with Mwalimu Wasonga, who was the choir's organizer.

Mwalimu Wasonga has said, in his defense, that the delay is because a regime transition occurred, which was accompanied by an order to reduce government expenditure.

According to him, this is the reason why payments have been put on hold until the new administration figures out how to make operations run smoothly.

"Those who are criticizing need to recognize that a change in government brings with it a great deal of change."

Things do not function in the same manner as before. "The new government is now in the process of organizing itself, and once it is complete, the money will hopefully be accessible," Mwalimu Wasonga stated.

He went on to claim that the remuneration of the choir had been taken over by Bomas of Kenya, who was delaying the transfer of the money for longer than was originally anticipated.

Mwalimu went on to say that the IEBC has committed to beginning work on the payments on January 15 and that he would try to ensure that the choir receives its monetary obligations.

Mwalimu Wasonga continued by saying, "Let members of the choir be cool as I will be following up with the situation the following week when I return to Nairobi from upcountry."

At Bomas, six distinct choirs from Kenya and one chorus from Tanzania sang together to provide entertainment for the nation.

The five individuals came from the Safari Voices, NHIF, Ninga Melodies, Wazalendo Choir, and Muungano Choir choirs, respectively.

The members of the choir are keeping their fingers crossed that the authorities will come through and compensate them.

Peter Gitaa, the CEO of the Bomas of Kenya, said that they have been unable to pay the vendors because neither they nor the IEBC, for whom they were acting as agents, have paid them. This is because the Bomas of Kenya was acting on behalf of the IEBC.