President William Ruto has expressed his condolences for the recent passing of Byron Muhando Kivisi.
Byron is widely recognized as Byron Beatgod for producing the hit song ‘Sipangwingwi’
Byron, who gained fame for producing the hit song ‘Sipangwingwi.’ also worked with President Ruto during his Presidential campaign.
Ruto’s statement about Byron
In a statement issued on September 21, President Ruto paid tribute to the late producer, describing him as an exceptionally talented young man.
Consequently, the statement said Muhando was known for his calm and composed demeanour.
Ruto shared his recollections of meeting Muhando during a recording session for an altered version of the popular song ‘Sipangwingwi’
This took place when he was at the Deputy President’s residence, commonly referred to as the ‘Hustler Mansion’ in Karen.
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How Ruto met Byron
President Ruto said he is “Deeply saddened by the death of music producer and artist Byron Muhando Kivisi.
Muhando was first introduced to me by music sensation Xray during a music recording session of the hit song ‘Sipangwingwi’ at the Deputy President’s residence in Karen,” read a portion of President Ruto’s statement.
President Ruto extended his sympathies to Kivisi’s family and fans, acknowledging that his passing occurred at a young age.
He also reassured that Byron’s artistic legacy would endure with the timeless music he had created for the Kenyan youths
During the presidential campaign, Ruto released a modified version of the song, still produced by thebeatgod and featuring Exray.
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Sipangwingwi termed as hate speech
Consequently, the campaign song was titled ‘Hatupangwingwi,’ in rebuttal to the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC).
The NCIC had however listed the phrase ‘Sipangwingwi’ as one of the hate speech terms. Which most thought was a grand overreach on its part.
Nonetheless, the Kenya Kwanza camp decided to embrace the phrase as their signature campaign slogan.
The cause of Byron’s death has not been disclosed, and news of his passing emerged on September 18, 2023.
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