Nairobi News

Serbian-based Kenyan musician Steve Hannington Jungo Chokwe Alulu, 74, the President of United Forum for Peace, Kenya, has been appointed Nikola Tesla Peace Ambassador in Belgrade, Serbia.  He is expected to promote the work of Nikola Tesla around the world.

The late Nikola Tesla was a Serbian American inventor, electrical and mechanical engineer as well as a futurist best known for designing the modern alternating current electricity supply system. His inventions include Tesla coil, Wireless power transfer, Radio, Tesla Turbine and Neon Lamp among several others. He was awarded nine decorations for his inventions between 1892 and 1939.

Mr Hannington’s appointment comes in the wake of his “exceptional contribution to the development of Serbia-Kenya friendship and for peace initiatives worldwide, especially humanitarian support to Serbia in the challenging times…” .

In a 2020 interview with Alex Chamwada’s Daring Abroad show, Mr Hannington, famous for his hits such as Alulu May Be, It’s All Right, Kako nabaciti farbu, Kuwakamba and Kayafunga told of how he found his way to Serbia and couldn’t bring himself to throw away his life abroad to live in Kenya.

In 1965, he departed for Yugoslavia as a 15-year-old to further his studies. He undertook studies in medicine and when his studies were over, he found clever ways to extend his time in Europe. Media and arts were his passion and so, he began learning how to write and produce music, how to play instruments and eventually found his way into the entertainment industry where he also featured in films.

While abroad, and being the son of a freedom fighter, he began promoting Kenya. He formed a tourism country and began sending tourists to Kenya but that ended when a civil war broke out in Yugoslavia. After 27 years, he decided to return to Kenya. He found employment with the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation but eventually returned to Yugoslavia in 2016 which had already split into 6 countries including Serbia where he settled and rebuilt his music empire.

“I succeeded (in predominantly white Serbia) in a way that I was their Michael Jackson. I couldn’t go out in the street just like that because people were all over me. They wanted autographs and things like that,” said Mr Hannington of his prior years in Yugoslavia before it split.

He currently travels between Serbia and Kenya where he promotes tourism and trade after founding the Serbian-Kenyan Friendship Association to promote Kenya beyond athletics, rugby and safaris. He also promotes Serbia to Kenyans.