New Year celebrations at the International Christian Centre on Mombasa
Road on January 1, 2015. PHOTO | BILLY MUTAI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Kenyans were spoilt for choice in the New Year's Eve
celebrations, turning up in large numbers at various places of
entertainment and worship to usher in 2015.
The
Christian faithful jammed various worship places to usher in the year
while revellers jammed bars and restaurants, dancing and drinking the
night away into the New Year.
The city was literally abuzz with various New Year festivities.
A spot check around Nairobi by the Nation
in the very early hours of the first day of the year confirmed a busy
dawning morning on the streets, with hundreds returning from overnight keshas and partying by Kenyans from all walks of life.
A club in Nairobi on New Year's Eve in this picture taken on December 31, 2014. PHOTO | BILLY MUTAI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Many
were still in the partying mood, with the celebration energy evidently
unending. Most of the bars around the city centre could still be heard
playing blaring music at 5:40 in the morning.
At the
Safaricom Stadium, Kasarani, thousands turned up for the Groove party,
an overnight praise event dubbed "The Ultimate Praise Experience",
graced by South African praise and worship singer Pastor Solly Mahlangu,
popular for his hit songs "Obrigado Sikwembu Samadima", "Wahamba
Nathi", "Emmanuel" and "Siyabonga".
Pastor Mahlangu did
not just set the venue ablaze with his electrifying performances but
also used the stage to encourage those present, revealing in a powerful
testimony that he was conceived out of a rape incident.
Other
artists who took the stage at the Kasarani stadium included gospel
artistes Roughtone, Ruth Matete, DJ Sadic, Bahati, Sarah K, Willy Paul
and Size 8, Pitson and Hopekid.
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Those
in the crowd who kept the event live on social media websites such as
Twitter and Facebook by posting updates on the happenings did not go
home empty-handed, having been rewarded with phones and airtime by
organisers.
A big number equally turned up at the
Kenyatta International Convention Centre for the "Totally Sold Out
Gospel Party Volume 10" from 6pm to dawn. Various renowned gospel
artistes, among them Tanzania’s energetic Rose Muhando and Christina
Shusho and Kenya’s Gloria Muliro and Kambua, kept the large crowd
entertained performing throughout the night.
New Year celebrations at a church in Nairobi on January 1, 2015. PHOTO | BILLY MUTAI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Christians
also thronged various churches, where they celebrated the New Year with
praises, worship, sermons and overnight prayers.
At Deliverance Church, Umoja, believers held a mini-kesha
from 9pm to 1am, with presiding Bishop J.B. Masinde delivering an
inspiring New Year sermon and performing prayers to usher in the year.
In
Nakuru, Prophet Owuor presided over an overnight prayer vigil event in
the "Grand Mega Nakuru Revival" event at the Kaptembwa grounds, with
thousands from various parts of the country in attendance.
In
Machakos Town, the "Macha New Year’s Eve Concert" happened at Machakos
People’s Park. The celebration was divided into two stage concerts
respectively — a New Year’s Eve countdown concert that lasted started at
2pm and ended at 8am and a New Year family concert that starts on
Thursday from 10am till late evening.
Naivasha Town was
not spared from the New Year fun, with those who wanted a break from
the celebrations in Nairobi having an option of Premium Vodka Smirnoff
trademark New Year’s Eve Smirnoff party that took place at Naivasha
Crayfish Camp with DJ Xpect from New York, and the Hakuna Matata
Festival camp at the Manera Farm, opposite the Delamere Kobil Petrol
Station, off the Naivasha-Nakuru highway where live music and DJ
performances were staged.
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