BY WILFRED CLARKE

The radio show in London from the ground to the air and the air to the ground is back in town from Midnight till 5am on 22 November 2024 via Kapital Radio 97.1

On the ground, Yen Za has toured in places such as the famous Ice Café at the Cultural Centre, Lake Bosumtwi, Junction Spot, Meet Me There, Special Offer Plaza, and lately at Ice-Man Pub, all in Kumasi.

For the first time on the air in Ghana and of course Kapital Radio, Clarke Pentoa will take charge, in digging his CD crates befit for Yen Za as a dynamic show of a kind.

With multiple collections and selections of music spanning decades and ages, Yen Za comes across as one of the shows and spaces to look out for.

Taking its listeners and revellers on nostalgic moments in life, one will not like to give this one a miss this time on Kapital Radio 97.1.

‘Let’s Dance’ is a radio show in London turned into ‘A Road Show’ as ‘Yen Za’ which is a slang.

This show combines DJs from abroad and some from Ghana on one platform as they make revellers dance along to multiple genres of music.

From the ground to the air ‘Yen Za’ comes to town in order to give some listeners the platform and space to acquaint themselves with varieties of genres as well as hearing some of their favourite songs while in a danceable mood.

From one entertainment spirit to the other ‘Yen Za’ will make you dance to fulfil its pledge of playing some awesome music” said Miss Felange, one of its patrons.

Yen Za is arguably a show and a platform that also allows an unknown DJ to be seen, heard and known. This is because other shows or events mostly go for experienced DJs as their main backdrop.

But Yen Za, is more about the DJ and his music selections with respect to the show’s guidelines.

This is also the platform that allows DJs to be themselves. Because most DJs who play on radio stations are not arguably allowed to play whatever they like, but to follow in-house production rules or policies.

This show is mainly for DJs as a Stand-Alone-Artist, not backing any musician whatsoever, where ‘the DJ’ becomes, for once, the main act of the show.

As to what the broadcaster and controller of Kapital Radio Mr Korsi Asiseh who is now known musically as Korzai thinks about the show, he replied: “Yen Za keeps you dancing till you reach the sky’’.

Africa Tourism Partners (ATP) has appointed Claire Mugabi as its representative for East Africa with effect from November 2024. 

Claire Mugabi is the current CEO of AFRIREPS, based in Uganda and will be joining ATP as East African representative. She has over 15 years in the marketing and communications industry, which makes her a good fit for the position.

Kwakye Donkor, chief executive officer, Africa Tourism Partners, commended Mugabi on her appointment, expressing confidence in her ability to significantly contribute to ATP’s initiatives aimed at enhancing intra-Africa travel market access and tourism development across the continent and in key source markets within Africa. “Given Claire’s expertise and experience, we are certain she will add considerable value to our efforts in East Africa as well as throughout the continent and beyond.

Her contributions will enhance all areas of our work, including tourism strategy formulation and implementation, destination marketing and brand management, MICE strategy and project management, investment promotion and facilitation, as well as executive coaching and capacity building,” Donkor said.

Speaking about her appointment, Mugabi pledged her commitment to transform the region through impactful initiatives. “I am excited to join Africa Tourism Partners (ATP) as the representative and focal person for East Africa. This partnership offers a unique opportunity to contribute to ATP’s mission of redefining African tourism.

I look forward to collaborating with the team to implement strategies that elevate Africa’s global tourism profile, foster sustainable growth, and ensure environmental stewardship across the region. Together, we will drive impactful initiatives that enhance Africa’s position as a premier tourism destination,” said Mugabi.

East African countries include; Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. The region has been the continent’s fastest-growing region in recent years. It is home to several of the fastest-growing economies, including Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.

On the other hand, ATP is a UN Tourism Affiliate Member and a recipient of the Distinction Award. As a Pan-African firm specialising in tourism development and strategic destination marketing, ATP focuses on strategy formulation, master planning, and strategic marketing in the travel, tourism, hospitality, aviation, and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) sectors. The firm utilises its extensive expertise, strong partnerships, and global networks to implement impactful programmes that are uniquely designed and yield measurable outcomes. By Obinna Emelike, Business Daily  

We all read with amusement the flurry of statements that were marked 'For immediate release' after the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops spoke last week. Kenya Kwanza and her allies directed a series of epithets directed at Bishop Anthony Muheria specifically and the body of Christ generally. Senior members of this administration discarded all pretence at piety and set their attack dogs on the good man of the cloth.

The bishop’s sin was that he had reiterated the obvious: That Kenya Kwanza and its leadership have not responded well to the needs of the people. That a lot of energy is being directed by this administration to play good politics and as such, the bishops counseled that good politics is not what Kenya needs right now. That the country wants instead intelligent policy intervention to avail the necessary help to those whose lot has worsened since Kenya Kwanza came to town shouting “Every hustle matters’’.

This column suggested two weeks ago that Kenya Kwanza looks like a government that has lost its way. That now they can viciously attack a dedicated man of God, as we witnessed this past week, is the clearest confirmation that we are dealing with what our Swahili forebears called “sikio la kufa”. In broad daylight, this administration has rejected the biblical dictate that open rebuke is better than secret love. One single open rebuke and they have gone into self-cannibalisation mode, estranging themselves from the own constituency - the church. 

The Kenya Kwanza rebuke by the Catholic bishops is their comeuppance for insinuating that those who voted for other presidential candidates other than William Ruto were not of God. During the President’s first working trip to Seoul, many Kenyans were mortified when a senior member of that delegation implied that they had won the 2022 election in large part because their competitor and the constituency he represented owed its allegiance to a kingdom that is not of God.

It is common knowledge that a government has only three primary functions. To protect the right to life, to safeguard individual liberty and guarantee the right to own property and the attendant privileges. But when Kenya Kwanza came in, rather than focus on these three, a disproportionate amount of time was devoted to evangelising the state in great disregard of the Constitution and good judgment. Its Max Ehrmann who wisely told us to “Believe in God whatever we perceive him to be”.  This underscores the fact that the people themselves reserve the right to choose what to believe in. The Constitution at article 8 equally reiterates the obvious that Kenya would have no state religion. 

After the blast that Kenya Kwanza received, first from Bishop Teresia Wairimu and now the Catholic bishops, it should introspect very deeply. We know how the government has frustrated other Kenyans who have spoken out. From having people trail them like they are some criminals to phone bugging in manners believed to be State-sanctioned, to an attempt to attack the character and credibility of such men and women. We also cannot forget about abductions and extra-judicial killings.

The question is, if Kenya Kwanza is unwilling to humbly listen to the clergy, whom will it listen to? Have we extinguished the right to contrary opinion? Do we have to make a fool of ourselves and say there is economic progress, like the third rate propaganda churned out by this regime this past week?

Nobody revels in opposing his own government but as Dante once observed, there comes a time when silence is betrayal. This government promised to invest in manufacturing but it has engaged in massive de-industrialisation of the economy in scales never seen before. We have witnessed unjustified mortalities in hospitals because the roll out of SHIF was not well-thought-out. We will speak out when our government has abandoned the people, threat to ourselves and loved ones notwithstanding. For no one leaves this place alive. By Kidi Mwaga, The Standard