We are back! I hope your 2023 is going great so far. I took a short break to refresh and come back to Friday fresh, here is what’s happening and popping in Nairobi and other cities across the continent…
Les Wanyika at Blankets & Wine
When it comes to Kenyan bands and there are quite a few, Les Wanyika is legendary. The band formed in the 70s featured musicians from both Tanzania and Kenya and was instrumental in influencing a whole generation of Kenyan musical acts from Wyre, and Cool James (TZ) to Sauti Sol. Les Wanyika will be performing at Blankets & Wine (the live event we took for granted till Covid happened). Whether or not it still has the original members is to be seen. Also performing will be Kenya’s rap GOAT Nyashinski. Buy tickets here.
Work it out: V.O.W
If you fell off your 2023 resolution workout regime, please don’t beat yourself up, it happens to the best of us. How about getting back on track with a free class every Thursday at Smart Gyms, The Hub, Karen. Vinitta Otieno Wanjohi leads the fast-paced 40-minute class to pump your fitness juices. You can also check out her super-stylish fitness gear collaboration with Vivo — Vinnita X Vivo, available now at all Vivo stores.
In the know: Zambia’s Mother’s Day
Zambian lawmakers are facing criticism over the enactment of Mother’s Day, which, get this, allows female workers to take a day off duty each month during that time of the month. A section of employers fears that the day may be abused, as the law states that all that is required as notification is a single phone call. Trade unions, on the other hand, are claiming women should stay home on that day and not leave the house. The day was apparently informally observed in the 90s before it became law.
Blind Ambition – Zimbabwe’s First Wine Tasting Team
Four Zimbabwean guys, escaping the political and economic strife in Zim, travel, with some difficulty, across the border to South Africa in search of greener pastures. Here they form a friendship and come together to pursue an unlikely common goal, become the first Zimbabwean team to compete in the “Olympics of Wine Tasting” in France. The documentary has been likened to Cool Runnings, a movie based on the Jamaican bobsleigh team that took part in the 1998 winter Olympics. A must-watch that will remind you of Africa’s indomitable spirit.
Have a great weekend!