Simba Wanyika

Simba Wanyika was a Kenyan based band created in 1971 by Tanzanian brothers Wilson Kinyonga and George Kinyonga, and disbanded in 1994. Simba Wanyika and its two offshoots, Les Wanyika and Super Wanyika Stars, became some of the most popular bands in Kenya. Their guitar-driven sound, inspired by the Soukous guitarist Dr. Nico, combined highly melodic rumba with lyrics sung in Swahili. Simba wa nyika means "Lions of the Savannah" in Swahili.

Links To Peel
Simba Wanyika were invited to do a session for Peel's show in the summer of 1990 and was one of Peel's favourite session of the year when he broadcast the session again on 22 December 1990. The group were one of the many Kenyan records, Peel would obtain and order through out the decades, since he first went to Kenya in 1972 on a holiday.

Sessions
1. Recorded: 1990-07-24. Broadcast: 13 September 1990. Repeated: 22 December 1990
 * Shillingi / Sikujva Vtabadilika / Mama Maria / Pamela

Other Shows Played
1993
 * 08 May 1993: 'Wenzako (CD-Pepea)' (Kameloen)
 * 15 May 1993: 'Pamela (CD – Pepea)'
 * 28 May 1993: ‘Sikujua Utabadilika (CD – Pepea)’ (Kameleon) (JP: ‘I just hope there are no Kenyan listeners who are going to write in and tell me that I’m pronouncing all of these things incorrectly. Unlike Adrian Davies, who isn’t actually Kenyan, but he does write from Ferryside to say in the wake of the Anhrefn session of last weekend. "John I’m sorry to inform you, you’re Welsh sounds like a mixture of French and German". I put this insolence down to the fact that he is going through the agonies of GCSEs at the moment. And incidentally Adrian there’s no “h” in rifts. Ha!’)


 * 11 June 1993: ‘Nakupenda Cherie (CD – Pepea)’ (Kameleon)
 * Peel Out In The States: 'Wenzako (CD-Pepea)' (Kameloen)