NRG Radio blames Moi’s death for cancellation of Buju Banton Nairobi show
The much anticipated Nairobi performance of Jamaican Reggae maestro Buju Banton has been cancelled.
Buju Banton’s management team, in a statement on Thursday, apologised to their Kenyan fans saying rescheduling of the performance was due to “circumstances beyond our control.”
“Due to circumstances beyond our control, we are disheartened to inform the fans of Kenya, that Buju Banton’s previous promoted show for February 8th 2020 in Nairobi Kenya has been postponed,” the statement read in part.
The show had been slated for February 8 in Nairobi Kenya. The move by the Jamaican artiste has left his huge Kenyan fan base distraught.
NRG Radio confirmed the postponement blaming it on the death of retired president Daniel arap Moi.
“We have been forced to postpone the event following the announcement of a period of National Mourning. The viewing of the Former president Moi’s body is slated for Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th at parliament which presents a logistical challenge to host the event at KICC,” NRG management said in a statement.
The management team added that they had worked diligently with the promoters of the show to execute a well anticipated return to Kenya.
“We extended all possibilities to work with the constraints the promoters faced. It is with great regret to inform you that Buju Banton will not be performing in Nairobi Kenya on Saturday February 8th 2020,” it added.
Postponement of the BUJU BANTON concert, Legends Edition – NRG Wave Nairobi. pic.twitter.com/njNg1zyjeA
— NRG Radio (@NRGRadioKenya) February 6, 2020
In December, Buju Banton announced on his social media platforms that he would be in the country for an unforgettable performance on February 8, 2020.
He has since taken down the video clip he had shared on his social media platforms.
Buju was initially slated to headline the #NRGWave Show in Mombasa on December 31, 2019, but the show was postponed to this weekend.
This is after a number of Kenyans on Twitter requested the promoters of the show, NRG Radio, to ensure that the reggae maestro performs in Nairobi as well.
The hashtag #BujuAkujeNairobi trended with fans keen to attend what would have been the reggae legend’s first live show in Africa.
The organisers also confirmed the 2020 Buju concert in Nairobi.
The reggae star was last year signed by Jay-Z’s Roc Nation company to its jam-packed roster.
Roc Nation announced the partnership with the reggae and dancehall king, whose comeback concert held earlier last year in his native Jamaica was one of the country’s largest shows.
More than 30,000 people attended the concert.
Banton, 46, will celebrate the new deal with a new music video release for his song Steppa.
The performer released his first album in the early 1990s and he’s among the respected acts in reggae. His last album, 2010’s Before the Dawn,won the Grammy for best reggae album.
Buju Banton was released in December 2018 after serving seven years in federal prison on drug charges.