Meet Leyla Mohamed, girl who has given ‘Wimbo Wa Historia’ a new life – VIDEO
A 13 year-old pupil from Eastleigh has given the patriotic track ‘Wimbo wa Historia‘ a new lease of life.
The song is particularly known for its emotive tone in expressing the tales of the Kapenguria Six, particularly Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.
It was written in the 1970’s Enock Ondego and was first sang by primary school pupils to President Jomo Kenyatta on his tour of Taita Taveta.
The song goes by the lines “Wimbo huu ni wimbo wa historia watu mnaombwa sikize kwa makini, Ilikuwa Octoba 1952 watu wote tulisikia Kenyatta ameshikwa.”
Now Leyla Mohamed has given it a new polish with an upgraded rendition that has been sponsored by the Permanent Presidential Music Commission.
TALK OF TOWN
Leyla, a pupil at St Teresa’s Girls Primary School, has been the talk of town after her rendition was uploaded on YouTube on October 1.
She is scheduled to sing her version on Mashujaa Day in front of President Uhuru Kenyatta at Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega.
Leyla comes from a humble background, raised by a single mother who is the sole bread winner.
She will sit for her Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations in November 2018.
According to Peter Chuani, commonly known as Dj Pinye, he was in Eastleigh shooting a show and mentioned to a colleague that he wanted a young Kenyan girl who can sing.
“Sammy Dee who was listening said that he knew a girl who can sing,” said Pinye in a recent interview on The Trend show.
FOUR MONTHS
It took DJ Pinye four months to meet Leyla and her mother.
Leyla said she liked the song after hearing it for the first time.
“It took me an hour to master the lyrics and I sent it back to Pinye who was shocked,” she said.
She describes herself as a sanguine, she is talkative and a jovial girl, her biggest musical influence is the late Whitney Houston and when she grows up she wants to be a pilot.