EULOGY
he late Phares Oluoch Kanindo was born on 29th November
1942, the third child of the second wife of the late Andrea Anindo
Nyakachunga and Masela Ojowi. His late father had thirteen wives,
of whom one is still surviving. Among many of his surviving siblings are his
elder sisters Norah Okoth and Terry Otory, his brothers John Owuor and his
younger brother Androniko Otieno. Kanindo attended Komolorume Primary
School, Lwala Primary School, Koderobara Intermediate School, Pe-Hill
Intermediate School and Luule Secondary School in Kampala Uganda.
In 1961 he proceeded to Czechoslovakia for a Diploma in Radio and Wireless
Electronics, graduating in 1963 just before Kenya’s independence. Upon his
return, he was employed by the Kenya News Agency, the precursor to the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, as a broadcast
technician.
Capitalizing on the network that he quickly established in the media industry, he soon launched himself in the world of
music, business and politics, almost simultaneously.
It can be said that his very complex personality and boundless energy, combined with a restive spirit could not permit
him to be content with limited activity. A brief account of that personality, in the absence of space and time, can be
summarised as follows:
He was an orator par-excellence. He was a fashion icon, handsome and charming. He was a socialite, mixing equally
and easily with the high and mighty, and the lowly in society. He was a political strategist, a pioneer and giant of the
music industry, a corporate executive, mobiliser, businessman, polygamous and a parent of many children among other
attributes. A few of these attributes and undertakings are highlighted in the limited space available.
AS A MUSICIAN
Kanindo loved and enjoyed music as a pastime. He quickly moved to music
production after his employment at KBC. His capacity to network with people
combined with his charm and wit opened doors for him with many local and
international musicians. He was engaged by the then leading international
recording company EMI Group of London that appointed him as its CEO in Kenya.
He also started his own music production and distribution company, POK Music
Stores. His career and achievements in the music industry are notable locally and
internationally. He easily interacted with such music giants as the Late Franco
Luambo, Tabu Ley, Mbilia Bel, Fela Kuti and Harry Belafonte. His closeness with
these musicians was such that they visited each other in their homes and the
Late Franco performed in his hometown of Awendo during one such visit in
1988. Locally he gets credit for the promotion of Benga and traditional music by
With Graham Shepherd, CEO EMI
signing into his recording labels such musicians as D.O. Misiani, Collea Mazee,
Records London
George Ramogi and many others. He also recorded music from all communities, meeting and interacting with the leading
performers of such communities including Joseph Kamaru. He paid them well for their work as is testified by some of the
artists who had been part of his labels including Les Mangelepa, Super Mazembe, Les Kinois and Baba Gaston. As part
of his music promotion, Kanindo made extensive tours of all continents, meeting leading artists and owners of recording
com