Paul Otieno Imbaya, better known by his stage name Mighty King Kong, was one of Kenya’s notable reggae musicians of the late 1990s and early 2000s — and a son of Ambira, Ugunja.
Born in 1973, King Kong was diagnosed with polio as a child, leaving him disabled from the waist down. He attended Ambira Primary School but dropped out in Standard Six following the death of his father.
Life then took him to Kisumu, where he lived on the streets and survived through begging.
His musical journey began to take shape in the early 1990s. In 1993, he moved to Nairobi with the assistance of DJ Stone, whom he had met in Kisumu. He began performing regularly in Nairobi clubs before later moving to Mombasa, where he worked with bands including Them Mushrooms and the Pressmen.
He also spent time in Kampala, Uganda, performing with the Simba Ngoma band. It was during this period that he got an opportunity to record.
From a child living with the effects of polio, to a Standard Six dropout, to a street child in Kisumu, and eventually to a recording artiste whose music was heard across Kenya, King Kong’s journey was remarkable.
Sadly, Paul Otieno Imbaya breathed his last on Christmas Day, December 25, 2007, at the age of 34.
His death was sudden and remains surrounded by questions.
Some contemporary reports attributed his death to poisoning. According to accounts published after his death, he had taken a soda and was later found by two friends at a Kengeles unable to speak. He was rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital, where he died while receiving treatment.
Mighty King Kong left behind his wife, Jackline Ouma, and a child.
For an artist who had risen from extraordinary hardship to become one of Kenya’s recognised reggae voices, his death at just 34 brought a tragic end to a remarkable journey..
Which of his songs do you remember?
