Celebrated Kenyan musician, Nameless, has launched a petition to name a street in Nairobi suburb, South C, after the late Kenyan musician E-Sir.
Nameless, whose real name is David Mathenge, has launched the petition online at Charge.org. The petition is called Launch a Street in South C named after E-Sir, #SouthCsFinest and seeks to posthumously honour departed musician, who was at the height of his career before he died in a road accident in 2003.
E-Sir, real name Issah Mmari, is recognized as a Kenyan musical legend and in spite of his death, has continued to be popular and is constantly mentioned as a musical giant in Kenya. He hailed from South C and he constantly referred to himself as South C’s Finest which makes the petition apt because he helped popularize the suburb.
“E-Sir was an inspiration to not only my generation but those who looked up to him for inspiration,’ he said. The naming of the street or road in South C will not only bestow appreciation of his contribution to the growth of music in Kenya but also serve as testament of appreciation of artists. This petition is directed at Governor Johnson Sakaja, and Nairobi County to listen to our ask and name a road or street after E-Sir to honour his legacy.’
Habib Wangui, his younger brother, who also a musician in his own right and a businessman had this to say about the petition “My brother was my hero and I think that this will not only honour his memory but inspire this generation of artists to aspire for excellence. As a family we have always wanted his memory honoured in this way.”
Muthoni Maingi Country Director, Change.Org, Kenya weighed in on the petition and said “Change.org launched offices in Kenya in January 2022, as the world’s largest platform for social change, we are here to work with Kenyans to ensure that the causes close to their hearts, reach decision makers’ tables and are not only heard but actioned on. The E-Sir street petition is one such petition and we love that our users understand that there are neither big nor small issues. All matters of public interest can be accommodated on the platform with the desire to see change effected by accountable decision makers.”
You can sign the petition here change.org/name-a-road-e-sir