:: Tusker Project fame returns
16 February 2008

I should have read the signs. The driver in the mat on the way into town kept looping that Nonini, Nameless track "Furahiday". All the way into tao and through the traffic at Landies road. And all the way to Tusker that bus stop where mathrees for Nairobi West and Langata and the like call their terminus. So Charles K tells me that tonight is Tusker project fame at Carnie tonight. Would I be interested in joining him? Would I ever? Who would say no to free pints? And an opportunity to observe Nairobi at its best? Or worst depending on the way you look at these things.

So I jumped into the cab with several people (names withheld to avoid them getting embarrassed) in the evening and headed to carnie. We were so many in that cab aki the poor dere looked like he probably wanted to ask for extra cash in case he was busted carrying excess (do they have excess for cabbies I wonder?). At the door there was registration and Mumbi was kind enough to hook me up with some vouchers. As I was chilling by the door who was to check in but Ann McCreath and Susanna Owiyo. Clearly this was going to be a big event. The innovert himself Pau was there taking photos of everyone as they checked in. Nice. And there was Tony M and Shaz. In white. Haiya! Apparently people were supposed to come to this event in white and no one told me. I wasn't wearing a single article of clothing. I mean a single article of white clothing you perv. So we walk in with Tony and I'm running into several people. Fundi Frank was no bongo lala. In the VIP behind the DJ booth there were a few more of those celeb type people; Angela Mwandanda (Shinde) and Debbie Asila and they was with a hot mama called Christine (drool!).

Outside I met Clay Muganda a scribe of no mean repute and we wondered when the event was going to start. Nice meeting the gentleman. Walked back into the place and straight to the back huko by that bar in the inside huko nyuma where I spotted Tony Ngare and we chatted a young one. I haven't seen the dude for ever and he had made my day earlier in the Pulse with that song for Arsenal fans to sing as the league was winding down. It went something like this. "Mafans musilale lale lale, mafans musilale, bado adebayor adebayor adebayor, bado adebayor." Really funny that. And there was old Stevens. And Grace from the Star. And Bill. Also ran into some lovely lasses from a publicity firm called Festy Fever both called Diana. Both had perfect eyebrows but both claimed not to tweeze em. Ahem. God clearly created some people with perfect eyebrows. And then some lovely lasses joined us and Tony was given some mad love. Sigh. In my next life I want to return as Tony Ngare. Write about Arsenal crash the competition by day and get mad love from hot women by night. A dream job if ever I heard of one.

As I settled to drink my pints I started looking around. I seem to be sitting at the right place. Around me were quite a few people in the public eye. Like Oyunga Pala, he of that Adam Magazine. And CEO the Pulse Editor. And Rappers Big pin and Manga (or is the dude a singer). And singer, radio presenter Sanaipei Tande looking delish in a short white dress and black belt and I could say is that girlfriend has some great... Haiya she might make sic me and put the beat down on me so let’s just leave it at that. And there was Tony Timase that Citizen TV business presenter. Which leads me to wonder... Too many Tony's in Nairobi. There's Mochama and Ngare and that Reuters Tony and Tony Timase and I bet there are plenty more. Just who was this Tony that every mother was naming their kids after in the 70s and early 80's?

During a short trip to the washrooms (classy eh? Not toilet or choo but washroom) I run into a bunch of pals that I haven’t seen in yonks. Sheila Harrison is still selling Castle. Brian Muthiani is still procuring at Nestle. Gentrix Obiero is still at Microsoft. I still like pie.

There was a bit of interest when Charles took some photos of Sanaipei Tande. Clearly she wasn’t amused as she goes and starts lecturing the poor photographer about how he and his ilk are messing her life. And another companion of hers came over and continued with the lecture. It was still very civil until Manga decided to confiscate the camera that had been doing the evil deed. Dude! Are you mad? Trying to steal a jamaas state of the art camera while demonstrations were called off until Kofi Annan mediation is done with? Cleary that dude is not too bright.

I know, I know... you have been waiting for me to tell you about Tusker Project Fame and what was happening. Well I'm sorry but there wasn't a lot to report in this part. There were a few performances by Wyre and Jua Kali. Last time I saw Wyre was at GTV's launch. And Jua Kali I last saw live last year at Simmers. I remember that night vividly because I had been watching my Arsenal losing to Sheffield United last season and I was almost in tears as I walked out of Hooters and found some concert going on in Simmers next day. So apart from Wyre and Jua Kali I didn't see anything else. Just people drinking and partying the night away. Clearly I was too late for the presentations. I guess that I will just have to read the press release. Or you want to try the official website tusker project fame.

Tusker Project Fame is here. Let the best singer win. I’ll drink to that!

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