TRIBUTE TO LATE DR A MUDOGO.KEMOLI

Last  Sunday the sky open  to welcome former University of  Nairobi don Dr  Arthur Mudogo  Kemoli who passed away after  along i
illness
The death  of the founder  of  Nairobi University Choir and Muungano is  a blow to Kenya music  Industry at  the  time when  the Ministry of  Education  is  planning to return  music  as a subject in School with  the major  objective  of  promoting and  preserving promoting arts and  that was the  dream  of  Kimoli
The late Kimoli was the father of  Music and  for its  lovers knows him  when he  used to  conduct University  of  Nairobi choir  during the famous Kenya music  and Cultural  Festival at  Kenyatta  International Conference Center
Those  days  music  lovers will travel from long distance to  watch Kimoli on  the stage with his  trade mark of pulling the crowd  while  on  the stage  something which  is  not  common  with other  upcoming choirmasters.
The grey  haired musicians understand  what   music  lovers needs on  the stage especially  during  serious  performance  like  Kenya Music and  Cultural  Festival.
Like  any  other   serous  musician he was always in  Africa clothe  while  on the stage in order to  reflect Africa traditional but  not  ion  a suit as it  is  becoming common  with youthful choirmasters.
Even though  dead Kimoli  magic still remains  with as both on  the stage and  in academic  circle because any  music  research  and  publication  in  Kenya without  his  name is incomplete
 Kimoli as my motivator I  last meet him during the launching of Abiography6 of Kenyan Musicians Book at  Panfric  Hotel where  we spend alot  of time talking  about Kenya music and  cultural
 He told me that his 8 books on Kenya Music and  traditions  are ready  for  publication and publishers  are  taking so long  to  publish  them and wished  that he  was still at  the University of Nairobi.
On music he   said  that the Ministry  of  Education should return  the subject in  School  because children  who  perform  well in  music  also perform well in education and praised  President  Mwai Kibaki for  his  effort in  promoting Kenya music  in  Schools and Colleges.
 I together with his  wife Matuloba Kimoli we helped the blind musician to  dance to  his composing   which  was being played  during the function
  That was the last  time he  was seen in  public and  at  the same  time  addressed music  lovers and  appealed  to  newspapers to  give art more   space, later  Kimoli called  Ken Andazi and  told him to continue with music to  the high  level
 Kimoli death comes just  a year  after the death  of B Mugangah the founder of  Muungano whom  they shared stage   with him while in  the group and  at Kenya Music  and  Cultural  Festival that  was my  last  meeting with  Kimoli.
 When meet  his wife last week and asked him  about Dr Kimoli books  Matuloba told  me that she  was looking money  to take Kimoli to  hospital. That made me to  suspect  that things  are  not  well.
 He  was boen  in 1945 in  small village of  Vohovole in  Vihiga Western  Kenya the home land of  the late  actor and  media personality  the late  Seth Adagala.
His  grandfather Ndeda Amiani  was a renowned player  of the Litungu and  he  only abandoned playing the Litungu when  he  was converted to  Christianity.
This  was because missionaries who   considered them  primitive and un Christianity frowned upon such  activities.
Kimoli    father Thomas Kemoli and  uncle  Samson Egenya were astute guitarist of  their  times  having acquired the skills of  guitar playing during  the second  World war
 Kimoli  also comes near Dr  Henry Chakava publisher, Professor  Henry Indangasi  University  of  Nairobi and Proffesor  Francis Imbuga of Kenyatta University.
Kimoli first experience with music was while  ayoung boy herding cattle's on  the
Kimoli  started School  in 1951 at  Mgadi Soda  Primary  School because his  father  was working  in Magadi as a clerk,  later  joined  Busali  intermediate School   from  1955 when  he studied from class  5 to 8 while in School was motivated  by choirmaster  Kivihya Aligula among  others
 Kimoli  later  joined   Kakamega  High School  in  1960 after  passing examination at  Busali while  their  he  meet  Washington Omondo  who  later  becomes  University  Prof then  his  teacher,  he  later  moved  to   Alliance High  School where  he followed the heart to  study advanced A  level
Kimoli  hold  PHD in  Literature from  University of  Sussex,  England masters  in  Africa  Literature from Kings  College  Cambridge
As  actor he  acted    in  numerous  plays   like  David  Ouvry,,in  adaption Animal  Farm Kongis  Harvest  he  was King Oba dan  Lola while  In  Muntu he  acted  Muntu the father he  also acted  with  Francis  Imbuga the  golden Bed a script by  Imbuga himself.
  He  later  produced  Guide Book  on  Muntu among  other academic books   on  the subject   which  are  still  useful  in  Schools and  colleges.
  The choirmaster also  composed  Fimbo  ya  Nyayo  song  about  President   Moi  leadership  among  others which  makes  part  of  his  8   books  to  be  published.
In  1988  Kemili was appointed to   the position of  senior lecturer  in  Literature at  the University  of  Nairobi he  had around 1967 started a choir at  the University  while  still a student which  went dormant when  he left  for  studies
  May  God  lest  him  in Peace..