Kenya Marks 50 Years of Radio Host Fred Machoka With Nairobi Concert

KENYA · MUSIC

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Koffi Olomide Nairobi fans get a day of Congolese rumba as broadcaster Fred Obachi Machoka marks 50 years on Kenyan radio.

Congolese rumba singer Koffi Olomide headlines Fred Obachi Machoka @50 at Ulinzi Sports Complex, Nairobi, Kenya, on Saturday 10 October 2026. Mbilia Bel and Sam Fan Thomas join him to mark Machoka’s 50 years in broadcasting.

Regular advance tickets on Viutickets cost KSh 5,000, about US$39.

Fifty years behind the microphone

Fred Obachi Machoka is one of Kenya’s best-known radio presenters. He began at the Voice of Kenya, the state broadcaster now called KBC.

He later hosted Roga Roga on Radio Citizen, a show built around Congolese rumba. Before radio, he served as an officer in the General Service Unit, a paramilitary wing of the Kenyan police.

The Kenya Times reported on 21 September 2026 that the concert also marks the end of his broadcasting career. Machoka told Citizen TV that five decades deserved a celebration with friends on stage.

Many Kenyans grew up with his voice on the radio. The concert turns that long relationship with listeners into one large public event.

Who performs

Koffi Olomide is a singer and bandleader from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Fans call him “Grand Mopao”, and he has recorded for four decades.

Mbilia Bel is a Congolese singer who rose to fame with Tabu Ley Rochereau’s band in the 1980s. Her 1984 song “Nakei Nairobi” is about the Kenyan capital.

Sam Fan Thomas is a Cameroonian musician known for makossa, a dance style from Douala. Alicios Theluji is also on the bill.

The organiser has not published a running order or set times. Kenyan acts include Les Wanyika, Them Mushrooms, Veterans X-comm Band, TBM Band, Freshly Mwamburi and Dola Kabarry.

Them Mushrooms, a band formed on the Kenyan coast, are best known for the 1982 hit “Jambo Bwana”.

Tickets and how to pay

Tickets are sold on Viutickets, the ticket service of the Kenyan streaming platform Viusasa. The regular advance ticket costs KSh 5,000, about US$39.

VIP costs KSh 15,000, about US$116, and VVIP costs KSh 25,000, about US$193. A corporate table for six costs KSh 140,000, about US$1,082.

The regular advance price is on sale until 9 October. The other tiers stay on sale until 10 October, the day of the concert.

The ticket page lists payment by M-Pesa, Kenya’s mobile-money service, and by the USSD code *487*27#. Visitors without a Kenyan phone number may need help from a local friend to pay.

Dollar figures use a rate of about KSh 129 to the US dollar. The organiser has not said whether tickets will be sold at the gate.

The venue: Ulinzi Sports Complex

Ulinzi means “defence” in Kiswahili. The complex belongs to the Kenya Defence Forces and sits inside Lang’ata Barracks.

It opened on 13 April 2022 and covers 35 acres. Its stadium seats 7,500 people and has a football pitch and an eight-lane athletics track.

It is home to the Ulinzi Stars football club. Concert entrance details are usually shared by the organiser close to the date.

Getting there

Lang’ata is a suburb in the south-west of Nairobi, near Wilson Airport and Nairobi National Park. Matatus, Nairobi’s shared minibuses, run along Lang’ata Road from the city centre.

Tell the conductor you are going to Ulinzi Sports Complex. Ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Bolt are the easier choice after dark.

Agree a pick-up point, and book your ride home from inside the venue. Don Carlos also plays the nearby Carnivore Grounds that same Saturday.

Two large concerts in Lang’ata on one evening will mean heavier traffic.

Why rumba still fills Nairobi

Congolese bands such as Orchestre Virunga and Super Mazembe settled in Nairobi clubs in the 1970s and 1980s. They taught the city to dance to rumba guitar lines.

Radio presenters like Machoka kept that music on the air for decades. His career and the music he played grew up together.

Nairobi now hosts several Congolese headliners a year. Fally Ipupa played Uhuru Gardens on 5 September, and Ferre Gola is due at the Nairobi Polo Club on 12 December.

For a newcomer, a rumba concert is a good introduction to what many Kenyans dance to at weddings and parties.

Practical tips for the day

A concert from noon to midnight is long, so plan food, water and rest. October days in Nairobi are warm, and evenings turn cool.

Carry a charged phone, little cash and a copy of your ticket. Keep valuables out of sight in large crowds.

The ticket page does not list rules on bags or re-entry. Expect security checks at a military site and bring identification.

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FAQ

When is the Koffi Olomide concert in Nairobi?

It is on Saturday 10 October 2026 at Ulinzi Sports Complex in Lang’ata. Kenyan media report the event running from noon to midnight Nairobi time.

How much are tickets for Machoka @50?

On Viutickets, regular advance tickets cost KSh 5,000, VIP KSh 15,000 and VVIP KSh 25,000. That is about US$39, US$116 and US$193.

Who performs besides Koffi Olomide?

Mbilia Bel, Sam Fan Thomas and Alicios Theluji are on the bill. Kenyan acts include Les Wanyika, Them Mushrooms and Freshly Mwamburi.

Can foreigners buy tickets without M-Pesa?

The Viutickets page lists only M-Pesa and a USSD code as payment options. Visitors without a Kenyan number may need a local friend to buy for them.

Sources: Viutickets – Fred Obachi Machoka @50 (tickets) · The Kenya Times – Fred Obachi Machoka ends 50-year broadcasting career · Citizen Digital – Machoka on Kanda Bongo Man and the @50 concert · Streamline Feed – Koffi Olomide, Ferre Gola bring Congolese rivalry to Nairobi · Absa Kip Keino Classic – Ulinzi Sports Complex profile