The year is 1976, and a young Congolese man jets into Kenya with a band that was barely formed. They had come for a series of shows that would take them several weeks and cover different parts of the country. The band was not yet popular, although a few familiar faces were part of it, having made names for themselves through their work with other bands. They settled down and got to work. The band began performing at Starlight Club along Milimani Road, off Argwings Kodhek Road in Nairobi. The same place also served as their rehearsal venue. Across the road stood an SDA church. One Saturday, an innocent Kisii lady called Susan Moraa, who was new in the city and had come from Bosongo, got lost while trying to find her way to the church. As she looked around, she spotted the musicians relaxing in front of Starlight Club. She decided to ask them for directions to the church. One of the gentlemen took advantage of the opportunity and began seducing her. She also liked the man, and they eventually exchanged addresses. That was how their love story began. While Moraa hoped the relationship would last forever, the man understood that the nature of his work might not allow him to establish a family in Nairobi. Moving with the woman to his country would also require both resources and logistics. Besides, most of the band members shared rooms. It was therefore impractical for him to start a family because the band itself could not generate enough income to enable each member to afford a separate house. Soon, the time came for the band to leave Kenya. When the man informed his girlfriend, Susan Moraa, she was heartbroken and broke down in tears. She doubted whether he would ever return. The man had to console her and give her an assurance that even if the band never came back to Kenya, he would return as an individual, with the principal objective of seeing her once again. This is the background story behind "Embakasi" by Les Mangelepa. The song was composed by Kalenga Nzazi, popularly known as Vivi, and released in 1978. It was dedicated to a lady called Susan Moraa from Bosongo and appeared on their album "Embakasi- First Anniversary Album." The song begins with a goodbye and a message of hope, as the persona informs Moraa about his journey, which he describes almost as a disappointment because he cannot bear the thought of leaving her behind. Tikala salama maya Awa nga nakeyi Libela te ma iyoo, yo mowa Nabangi nde sima osala soni ee [Stay safe, dear I am leaving Never for good, dear I fear leaving you behind makes you ashamed] He goes on to tell her that it is their last day together and that the following morning he is expected to be at Embakasi Airport. He encourages her not to be heartbroken, reminding her that his departure does not mean he will stay away forever. Nga na yo Sue lelo nde mokolo ya suka Mai oo maa ngai nakeyi oo Moraaa, Sue nga lobi na Embakasi uwanja ndege Usivunjike moyo... [Today is our last day, Sue I am leaving, dear Moraa, tomorrow I will be at Embakasi at the airport Do not be heartbroken ] The climax of the song is another goodbye, as he paints a picture of himself up in the clouds, flying away, while being haunted by the thought of leaving behind someone he cherished. The composer of the song, Papa Vivi Kalenga Nzanzi, died on 9th August 2022 at his home in Nairobi's Dandora Phase Two Estate after a short illness. Moraa later relocated to Kisii, where she was married by a man from her community. Rumours had it that she was the owner of the building where the Akamba Bus booking office was located in Kisii town