Machoka @50 Concert Celebrates Fred Machoka’s Five Decades in Broadcasting
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Machoka @50 Concert Celebrates Fred Machoka’s Five Decades in Broadcasting

Oct 12, 2026 · 2 min read · 67 views

Hundreds of fans gathered at Nairobi’s Ulinzi Sports Complex on Saturday, October 10, 2026, for the Machoka @50 Grand Concert, a music-filled celebration honouring veteran Kenyan broadcaster Fred Obachi Machoka. The event marked Machoka’s 50 years in broadcasting and brought together leading names from Kenya and across Africa. The celebration ran from noon until midnight and combined live music, dancing and tributes to one of Kenya’s best-known radio and television personalities.

A night of rhumba and nostalgia

The concert’s international lineup was led by Congolese rhumba star Koffi Olomide, whose performance was one of the evening’s major attractions. He was joined by veteran Congolese singer Mbilia Bel, Cameroonian makossa musician Sam Fan Thomas and Kenyan singer-songwriter Alicios Theluji.
Kenyan music was also strongly represented. Veteran groups and performers including Les Wanyika, Them Mushrooms and Freshly Mwamburi added an East African flavour to the programme. Their appearance connected the celebration to the classic music that has shaped generations of Kenyan listeners.
According to post-event coverage, thousands of people attended the concert, turning the Ulinzi Sports Complex into a lively meeting point for music lovers. The performances created an atmosphere of nostalgia while introducing younger fans to some of the region’s most influential rhumba and popular-music artists.

More than a music event

Although music was central to the celebration, the concert also recognised Machoka’s long contribution to Kenya’s broadcasting industry. Known affectionately by many fans as “Uncle Fred,” he has spent five decades behind the microphone and on television, building a career closely associated with entertainment, public conversation and rhumba music.
Machoka’s broadcasting legacy is also linked to his popular Roga Roga programme, which helped strengthen his relationship with rhumba audiences. His influence extends beyond presenting programmes: he has become a familiar voice in Kenya’s media history and a prominent figure in the preservation of the country’s broadcasting culture.
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