Fundi Konde was a Kenyan musician, one of the first popular performers from that country, and said to be the first electric guitarist from East Africa. His music utilized Swahili lyrics accompanied by a mixture of regional rhythms and imported rumba. His professional career began during World War 2, when he performed for East African troops in South Asia. Returning home to Kenya, he made some of the earliest recordings from the region, including the hits "Mama Sowera", "Majengo Siendi Tena", "Kipenzi Waniua Ua" and "Jambo Sigara". He continued to perform and record until 1963, when he retired until the early 1980s, when he began singing, composing and producing again.
FundiKonde was one of the early stars of East African music during the post-war, pre-independence era when Kenyan musicians were heard throughout Africa on radio and on readily-available 78rpm discs.
Konde developed his guitar technique with a South African-made acoustic instrument and a tuition manual by Bert Weedon, and after the war he became the first guitarist in East Africa to use an electric pick-up.
Konde later moved to the Hi-Fidelity and then Jambo labels, for whom he engineered and played on Fadhili William's massive hit version of Malaika, one of the standards of African music, internationally popularised by Miriam Makeba.
FundiKonde is one of the pioneers of African popular music.
He played the first electric guitar in East Africa and his name is known throughout the region for his fusion of rumba with local rhythms, such as the sengenya, and Swahili lyrics.
Konde retired from the scene in 1963 but his songs stayed in the public's mind thanks to continued radio play.
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