Cash crisis bogs down Nairobi Battle of Choirs
The last two editions were also marred with financial challenges with winners and judges of the event cried foul after City Hall handed them dummy cheques
From the delay in paying participants or keeping them waiting for a year earn what they sweated for, the Nairobi Battle of Choirs was not held this year due to a lack of proper financing by the Johnson Sakaja-led administration.
Without giving reasons why the third edition of the Battle of Choirs was put off, Governor Sakaja stated that it would be held for Christmas after the Nairobi Festival which are held every Jamhuri Day.
“This year, we will do the choir’s festival later in the year for Christmas, right after the Nairobi Festival,” Sakaja said.
However, Nairobi County Executive Committe member (CECM) for Inclusivity, Public Participation and Customer Service Rosemary Kariuki contradicted the statement by the governor saying the event is only held in Easter and shall be held next year.
She added that she did not have reasons why the administration decided to postpone this year’s event.
“The event shall be held during the 2026 Easter. Though i do not have the reasons why it was postponed,” She stated.
The last two editions were also marred with financial challenges with winners and judges of the event cried foul after City Hall handed them dummy cheques.
This raised questions on the integrity of the competition and whether the events were planned for.
“It is unfair that there will be no competition this year, but I feel that it is because of the delayed payments of judges and awards to the winners, among other complaints,” A choir leader who participated in the past competitions explained to The Informer media Group.
Early this year, music directors from the three churches that won last year wrote a joint letter to Governor Sakaja seeking an explanation for the delay in payment of their awards.
The directors complained of being taken in circles, warning this could taint the integrity of the competition and cast doubt on the willingness of the county to support community events.
They told the governor to prioritise their payment.
“We trust that your office will prioritise this matter and ensure that the funds are transferred promptly to the winning choirs as previously communicated,” the letter by the directors to Sakaja read in part.
After the letter, the county paid the choirs weeks later in early March with the judges only being paid half of what they had been promised.
”We have been disappointed following up the payments, we have only been paid half the amount of the money that was promised,” a judge of the Second edition for the Battle of the Choirs stated.
In the said second edition of last year, PCEA Kahawa Farmers Choir won, followed by St Peter’s Clavers Church and Ngomongo Ministries SDA.
This was the second time the delay for the payments of the Easter festivity by the Sakaja administration was being experienced, contrary to Sakaja’s promise that the money would be paid immediately after the event.
A member of the St. Stephen’s ACK along Jogoo Road, who won the first edition, explained the circles they were taken through before the money was paid, almost a year later.
She explained that at some point they almost gave up as the promises by the City County were not bearing any fruit.
“When we won the battle of Choirs in 2023, the County had promised that they would pay immediately. Our director followed, and he was taken in rounds. We all got angry and decided that we would never participate in the coming editions,” She explained.
During the launch of the popular event, Sakaja said it would evoke the Easter holiday mood in the city.
Preparations would start with auditions of the finest choirs ahead of the Easter week under the guidance of adjudicators, leading to the grand finale involving the top three.
The event has been popular with city residents, especially those who don’t travel upcountry for the long weekend.
The winner went home with Ksh 2 million, while the first and the second runners-up won Sh1 million and Ksh 500,000.
The second edition of the Battle of Choirs late payment was the third time the Sakaja government was put on the spot for delaying to issuance of payments, even though there are many instances where the City County has been in the media over the delay of payments, including contracts of works done many years ago as the County now grapples with pending bills of Ksh 120 million as of February report by the Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakango.
Months after the first edition of the Nairobi Festival, popular artist Arrow Bwoyv reminded the governor to pay the artists who performed at the event.
He stated that it was painful; they had not received their pay months later, though the county cleared the bills almost half a year later.
The Nairobi Festival event, which is now in doubt of being held due to lack of finances, is meant to celebrate and appreciate Nairobi’s diverse foods, culture, music, and art.
To remove the doubt, CEC Kariuki says the event will happen in December as always even though the timelines shall be different from the normal times of the first and second edition.
“I cannot share the details now but the details might change. I affirm that the event will take place in December and the details shall be shared in due time,” She stated.
She dismissed the doubts by many Nairobians that financial crisis would lead to the event being postponed.
