20/01/2026
Jacob Luseno was born in 1936. He went to Goibei Intermediate School in Tiriki where he started singing folk Luhya songs. Jacob’s education was temporarily interfered with when his parents moved from Tiriki land to Mumbetsa Imasaba in Idakho where he joined Mwikhomo Intermediate School.
After Mwikhomo, the legend joined Pepsi Cola in Eldoret as a driver delivering the product to Uganda. The most surprising thing while at Pepsi Cola is that Luseno moved around with his hand made guitar. He moved from Pepsi Cola to Salsbury Hotel in Kericho later being transferred to Nairobi to work as a laundry machine operator. With his passion for music burning, Luseno quit his job and joined Starlight Night Club - the leading night club in Nairobi owned by Armstrong. It is here he met other music legends like Daudi Kabaka and Fadhili Williams.
He formed Nabongo Success Band and recorded his first hit song Jane Wanje. Jane was his firstborn daughter and Luseno sung this song in remembrance of his only beloved daughter Jane. Thereafter he composed other songs like Injete Muteithi, Ikwenjeri, Inzala Liani, and Useni Mwana, among other hits.
The music continues even without the maestro. Luseno's band, Phonetex performing at a Safaricom function in Bungoma in 2010 with the original lady vocalist, Getrude Mwendo (left). The legendary singer founded the famous Phonetex Band together with Gertrude Mwendo in 1965 while Isaya Mwinamo and Fadhili Williams were the original producers. The band predominantly sings in Luhya with a few Swahili songs. The band is currently run by his son, Obed Luseno and Julius Etenya who sing in traditional Ingolo style away from the usual lipala. Other styles include Mutivo and Mabeka.
Luseno went underground for some time after leaving the Star Light Club in 1979. He rose to shine again with a band nicknamed Indumba Jazz where he recorded hits like Dinnah, Rael Nandi, Nabongo, Ikhabi Yanje among others. For the second time, Luseno sung for 8 years.
