Catalogue                 Group                                                 A side/B side                                                                  Year

Number

WAM 06               Wamaitu Mumunya Band           Mariru/Yaruanio

Thanks to Sofiane of Groovy Record in Paris for supplying details of this record in May 2011. It’s by a Kikuyu group about whom I know nothing.

Albert Gacheru, though, has been a force in Kenyan music for some time, notably as director of the Music Composers' Association and a member of the Kenya Copyright Board. An article in the Nation, dated October 7, 2006, notes that “As he was lounging at home one evening in February 1999, musician-cum-producer Albert Gacheru received news that Gatatha building, where his Sh10.5 million music empire was located, was on fire. His Wamaitu Productions consisted of a production house, thousands of ready and work-in-progress records, offices, and a hardware and electrical equipment shop.” The article goes on to note that he had received threats from several quarters, hinting at arson.

Wamaitu Productions were still operating into the new millennium and went to court against another record store over copyright infringement in 2008. You can read about the case here.