Kenya Hymn Festival: The voices behind Nairobi's biggest celebration of hymns

The best memories of childhood came from Sunday School, and it's hardly ever about the Bible stories. It’s the hymns.

We crooned English hymns long before we could speak the language.

Then someone would teach the congregation a version of the hymn in a different mother tongue - Luo, Kamba, Maasai, Kalenjin, Kisii, Meru, Luhya or Gikuyu.

We’d get stuck, confidently invent lyrics and sing at the top of our voices!

Somehow, we’d always make it to the final 'Amen'!

That shared musical heritage is what inspired the Kenya Hymn Festival.

Rather than reinventing old hymns, the festival celebrates them in the languages that first gave them life, creating a space where generations can gather to worship through songs that have stood the test of time.

At the centre of this year's festival are four musicians whose paths into music have been anything but ordinary.

Jared Mugendi

For Jared, a practising High Court advocate, hymns are part of Kenya's spiritual heritage.

In worship spaces, he is known for leading congregations through timeless hymns that many grew up singing.

As the Creative Director of the Kenya Hymn Festival, Mugendi has become one of the driving forces behind its vision of preserving sacred music by presenting it in Kenya's diverse local languages, allowing familiar melodies to find new ears without losing their original soul.

Ben "Sokkx" Sokoro

If you've followed Nairobi's live music scene, chances are you've already heard Ben "Sokkx" Sokoro at work.

The versatile drummer has performed alongside artists including Mutoriah, The Movement, Ochiko and Modest Chabari, earning a reputation for dynamic rhythms and fearless musical experimentation.

At the Kenya Hymn Festival, however, he swaps contemporary performance for something equally powerful - using rhythm to breathe fresh life into hymns that have echoed through Kenyan churches for decades.

Francis Akilimali

Francis Akilimali's musical roots stretch back to Rabai on Kenya's Coast, where growing up in a family of musicians shaped both his ear and his identity.

Today, the founding member of XII The Band is recognised for blending Afro-jazz influences with contemporary African sound through his saxophone, bass guitar and vocals.

His artistry celebrates African musical identity, making him a natural fit for a festival built around worship through Kenya's many languages and cultures.

Moise Basinza

Born in Bukavu, DR Congo, Moise Basinza discovered music at a young age, teaching himself to play despite little support.

After moving to Nairobi, he steadily built a reputation as one of Kenya's most accomplished session bass guitarists, with mentorship from celebrated drummer Amani Baya helping shape his career.

Today, Basinza has performed and recorded with leading gospel and secular artists, including Mike Kalambay, Eunice Njeri, Mercy Masika, Nameless and Wyre, earning recognition as one of the country's most sought-after bassists.

Where do their stories meet?

Different journeys, different sounds - one stage.

On Sunday, July 19, these four musicians will be joined by a lineup of accomplished female vocalists at Shree Sthanakvasi Jain Sangh (Shree Chandaria Jain Social Group), Loresho, for two worship sessions celebrating Kenya's rich hymn tradition.

Together, they'll revisit beloved hymns in local languages - the kind many Kenyans still remember by heart, even years after they last sang them.

Some songs entertain us for a season, hymns stay with us for a lifetime.

If there's one you still catch yourself humming from childhood, this might be the perfect place to hear it again.

This invitation to relive familiar melodies, discover fresh voices and celebrate a musical heritage that continues to unite generations.

Tickets for the Kenya Hymn Festival are available https://mookh.com/event/kenya-hymn-festival/

Tickets start from Sh500 for children and Sh1,200 for regular admission, with VIP (Sh2,500), couple (Sh1,800) and group packages for five people (Sh4,000) available.