Formerly known as DDC Mlimani Park Orchestra, the Sikinde band also performed in Kenya last year and it seems the Nairobi residents can’t have enough of the ensemble, which is one of the few full fitted orchestras that are still playing live music with various sets of instruments, in addition to choral singing.
One of the band officials, Abbu Omar, confirmed that Kenya’s popular showbiz broadcaster, the legendary Freddy Obach Machokaa is already playing the band’s music on both Citizen TV and Radio, promoting the Sikinde’s anticipated show, whose dates are yet to be announced.
This year 2018, will be the 40th Anniversary for Sikinde, which started out as Mlimani Park Orchestra in November 1978, churning popular numbers such as ‘Selina,’ ‘Nalala Kwa Taabu,’ ‘Mwalimu Nyerere Jemedari, Tangazia Mataifa,’ and the all-time popular classic ‘Neema,’ which was runaway success in Kenya, Uganda and as far as Germany.
Mlimani Park (Sikinde) was declared, Tanzania’s best music band for four years consecutively, in the 80s during the hey-days of music bands in Tanzania.
Its closest rival has been the Msondo Music Band (formerly OTTU, JUWATA and NUTA), which is also alive today and much older having started in 1964. During its four decades of entertaining East Africa with classic tunes, Mlimani Park (Sikinde) was home to some of outstanding musicians such as Muhidin Mwalimu (Gurumo), Hassan Rehani Bitchuka (who is still with the band to date), Cosmas Thobias Chidumule, Joseph Mulenga, Shaaban Dede, Muharami Said, Abel Balthazar and King Michael Enock