DON'T DRAG MY NAME FOR CLOUT, JALANG'O WARNS BAHATI

Lang’ata Member of Parliament Phelix Odiwuor, popularly known as Jalang’o, has hit back at musician Kevin Bahati after the latter questioned his contribution to the Kenyan entertainment industry during his time in Parliament.

Jalang’o cautioned Bahati against invoking the names of other politicians to attract public attention, urging him to concentrate on building his own political campaign ahead of the 2027 General Election, in which he intends to contest the Mathare parliamentary seat.

Speaking in response to Bahati’s criticism, the Lang’ata legislator said seeking elective office required more than media attention, reminding the musician of the responsibility that comes with representing voters.

“Bahati tried his hands on politics, and the one thing I will tell him is do not use other people’s names for your clout chasing; you do not know what it takes for somebody to be elected a leader. Do your interviews, and clout chase your ways,” Jalang’o said.

He further insisted that political leadership should be measured by service delivery rather than popularity.

“Politics is not about clout chasing; it is about serious work being done,” he stated.

Jalang’o also challenged Bahati to visit Lang’ata and assess the development projects undertaken during his tenure, arguing that elected leaders are accountable to residents who depend on them to deliver.

“Come here to Lang’ata and see the work we have been able to do. People of Lang’ata are very happy about the work we have been able to do, so when he thinks he can come into politics to clout chase, these are people’s lives. These are people who depend on you to deliver,” he said.

The MP added that Bahati should now approach politics as an aspirant seeking public office rather than simply a musician looking for publicity.

“But I want to tell him, ‘Welcome.' From now, it is no longer just Bahati; it is Bahati, an aspirant running his campaign just like me. So atafute yake, awachane na yetu,” he added.

Bahati questions Jalang’o and Jaguar’s parliamentary record

The exchange follows remarks Bahati made during an interview on the Obinna Show, where he questioned whether Jalang’o and former Starehe MP Charles Njagua, popularly known as Jaguar, had adequately represented the interests of Kenyan artistes while serving in Parliament.

Bahati argued that the two former entertainers had an opportunity to push for policies that would strengthen the local creative industry but failed to introduce legislation requiring Kenyan media stations to give local music greater airtime.

“Jalas and Jaguar were in parliament, and they are the reason I am being shown videos of artists who went to Parliament but failed to support the industry,” Bahati said.

He proposed that local radio and television stations should dedicate between 70 and 80 per cent of their music airtime to Kenyan productions, saying such a move would create opportunities for emerging musicians to reach wider audiences.

“In Kenya, when you listen to our stations, you would think we are in Lagos or Zanzibar. We want to make sure Kenyan media plays 70 or 80 per cent local,” he said.

The musician argued that limited exposure on local platforms makes it difficult for upcoming artistes to establish themselves, particularly those outside Nairobi.

“There is a guy in Homa Bay dreaming to be Bien but Bien has taken over 20 years to be where he is today. If our media is playing over 70 per cent foreign, tell me when there will be another Willy Paul, Bien or Otile Brown?

“It is almost impossible and that is why in one year, we get few music sensations who are not even national brands.”

Bahati further questioned why the former legislators had not used their parliamentary positions to champion the proposed changes.

“What was so hard for Jalang’o or Jaguar to do that in Parliament? Just a bill to say if we want to create other musicians, we must say a local station will have no option but to play 70 per cent local and that is how an unknown artist in Kisumu will get rotation and will be big because of enough airplay,” he stated.

He also extended his criticism to the film industry, arguing that Kenyan actors faced similar challenges due to limited opportunities and exposure on local television stations.

“It is the same thing happening among actors, it is just that they don’t talk. Look at our stations, we have Indian soap operas translated in Kikuyu so how will an actor in Nyeri get that opportunity?” he posed.

Bahati maintained that his interest in joining Parliament was driven by his desire to advocate for the creative sector rather than financial benefits associated with the office.

“I am not going to Parliament because an MP makes a lot of money,” he added. “I like \[Peter\] Salasya but I am sure he does have more money than me. There are MPs there who I can even pay. That is not the reason.”

Bahati's criticism comes days after he officially announced his second attempt at the Mathare parliamentary seat in the 2027 elections.

The announcement came during an event initially promoted as a white wedding celebration with his wife, Diana Marua, marking their 10th anniversary. The November 6 gathering at Argyle Grand Hotel in Nairobi instead became the launchpad for his political ambitions, attracting criticism from some attendees and members of the public who had expected a wedding ceremony.

During the event, Bahati reflected on his unsuccessful 2022 parliamentary bid, admitting that he had been politically inexperienced and campaigned for only 21 days.

He also said he had spent four months engaging residents across Mathare's six wards as he prepared for another attempt at the seat. He indicated that he would consult voters before settling on the political party ticket to use.

Bahati previously contested the seat on a Jubilee Party ticket in 2022 but finished third with 8,166 votes, losing to incumbent Anthony Oluoch following political disagreements within the Azimio la Umoja coalition.

He has maintained that his renewed bid is aimed at giving residents of Mathare leadership from someone familiar with the constituency and advancing policies that support Kenyan creatives.

The latest exchange has once again brought attention to Bahati’s history of publicity-related controversies, with his critics questioning whether his headline-grabbing moves are driven more by attention than substance.

Previous incidents, including the backlash over his tribute to late musician Shalkido, the disputed KSh1 million pledge to Harambee Stars and the staged separation with his wife, Diana Marua, have all attracted accusations of clout chasing. However, Bahati has previously pushed back against such criticism, maintaining that he understands how to generate publicity.

Whether viewed as clever self-promotion or calculated publicity stunts, his approach to staying in the public eye continues to spark debate, now extending beyond entertainment into his political ambitions.