Cathy Matete takes Kenyan politicians to task in new song

It is often said that politics and corruption go hand in hand. Singer Cathy Matete, concerned at the high level of perceived injustice in her native Kenya, takes politicians to task in We Won’t be Silenced, her latest song.

Produced by Jamaican Garfield Cowan for Natures Way Entertainment, the song is scheduled for release in November. Matete says We Won’t be Silenced reflects the lack of trust among Kenyans for elected officials.

“I am frustrated and I believe many Kenyans are frustrated too. The recent youth-led protests in Kenya highlight how young people feel betrayed by promises of jobs and empowerment that never really arrive,” she told Observer Online.

“Today, we see how high the cost of living has become, rising youth unemployment and a sense that the political class isn’t accountable.”

The song is accompanied by a video decrying the lack of accountability in the East African country, which was one of the leaders in the anti-colonial movement on the continent during the 1950s.

We Won’t Be Silenced is Matete’s first song for 2025. It is her latest collaboration with Natures Way Entertainment, having appeared on the South Florida label’s Roots Rock Reggae compilation album last year with the song, For Better For Worse.

“It feels fitting to open the year with a strong statement, a song that declares we will not be silent any longer. I have more work in progress that explores themes that will be coming out soon,” she said.

On November 29, Cathay Matete is scheduled to perform at the Jamhuri Reggae Festival in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital. Jesse Royal, Lila Ike and Protoje are headliners for that show.

— Howard Campbell