Catalogue                   Group                                                         A side/B side                                                       Year

Number

MER 7-001            Lulus Band                                       Muhiki Ni Uriku/Kaba Nairobi                   1975

MER 03                 Lulus Band                                       Ki Irituki Ki Nene/Chiku

MER 7-006            Rift Valley Brothers                           Gaka Niko/Njambi                                  1977

MER 7 - 007          Gatanga Boys                                   Penina/Ritho Ritiraga                              1977

MER 7 - 008          Gatanga Boys Band                          Keep Change Kairitu/Wendo Tio Mbia

MER 10                 Sam Kimachia                                  Riuta Kanithaini/Iroto Cia Wendo

MER 7-11              Rift Valley Brothers                           Niacoka/Mutirima Wakwa

MER 16                 Karura Brothers                                Nduta Ndume/Mucemanio Wa Ah, Ki

MER 20                 Nyahururu Boys Band                       Ndi Waku/Rachel

MER 21                 Banana Hill Band                              Riria Twendanaga/Muritu Mugaru

MER 22                 Huruma Boys Band                           Igai Riakwa/Ngeithagia Twacemania

MER 25                 Wahuga Brothers                              Kiero Kia Mwanake/Weru Wi Njogu

MER 26                 John Ndichu                                     Mugathi Wa Kuona/Gikeno Gia Aciari

MER 27                 John Ndichu & his Group                   Joyce/Wanaruona

MER 29                 John Ndichu & his Group                   Wirute Kamba/Wangari

MER 30                 John Ndichu & his Group                   Ndumiriri Cia Lucy/Thina Wa Ndichu

MER 31                 John Ndichu & Group                        Veronica/Muru Wa Maitu

MER 32                 John Ndichu & his Group                   Mama Chiru/Tigwo Waithera

MER 33                 John Ndichu & his Group                   Itheru Ria Wendo/Wanjiku Ni Wakwa

MER 34                 Chania Sisters & Brothers                  Ndagwikire Atia?/Macokio Ma Chiru

MER 35                 John Ndichu                                     Uthoni wa Nidangwa/Mwaria Ciene

MER 37                 John Ndichu & Group                        Watua Kuhonoka/Mary Waithera

MER 101               New Sunshine Band                          Njeri/?

Thanks to CC Smith, formerly editor of The Beat magazine and now Samba Mapangala’s manager, for the label scan and details of MER 30, while MER 35 is a single from John Beadle’s tape collection.

Kikuyu musician John Ndichu also wrote for and led the Rwengo Brothers, who recorded on the Thika-based Cucu Wagakunga label and others. See Bands Index for an up-to-date list.

The Karura Brothers single, which turned up for sale in London in January 2009, is by a Kikuyu band who also recorded for Karura Brothers Sounds and Kirinyaga.

Mer 7-007 was put for sale on Ebay in March 2009. It offers a probable starting date for the label, though I have no information on the Kikuyu band apart from the fact they or a splinter group also recorded for Wendo as the New Gatanga Boys. Thanks to Miles Cleret of Soundway Records for supplying details of MER 7 - 008 in October 2011.

In November 2010 Sofiane of Groovy Record in Paris kindly supplied details of MER 20 by a band who also recorded for Sawa Sawa Sound and Wahome Super Sounds.

MER 101 turned up on eBay in March 2016, the record in such poor shape that the seller couldn’t identify the B-side. It’s possibly that the A-side is the same tune as the band’s Njeri Baby released on Sounds Express.