Kenya’s Gengetone sound is set to take centre stage at this year’s Solfest, with the December festival dedicating part of its programme to a genre that helped shape the country’s urban music scene.
Scheduled for December 17 to 19 at different festival experiences in Nairobi, Solfest 2026 is expanding its musical offering to include a dedicated Gengetone showcase alongside electronic music and its traditional fan show.
The inclusion of Gengetone comes as the genre continues to attract conversations about its influence on Kenyan music, particularly among audiences who grew up listening to its energetic beats, Sheng lyrics and street-inspired storytelling.
Artists associated with the movement, including some of the names that helped popularise the sound, are expected to feature in the festival’s Gengetone-themed programming.
For many fans, the showcase offers an opportunity to revisit a sound that dominated Kenyan entertainment conversations and radio playlists, while bringing its performers back into the spotlight.
The festival has also attracted attention following a disagreement over genre classification after hip-hop trio Wakadinali objected to being grouped with Gengetone artistes in promotional material shared by Solfest.
The group questioned the categorisation, making it clear that they identify more closely with hip-hop and drill rather than Gengetone.
The reaction has added another dimension to conversations about Kenya’s urban music scene, where different sounds and influences sometimes overlap.
Beyond the Gengetone showcase, Solfest will introduce Safari Oontz, an electronic music experience scheduled for December 18 at Uhuru Gardens. The programme is designed to bring together DJs, vocalists and instrumentalists for a celebration of electronic and Afro-house sounds.
The festival’s Fan Show is scheduled for December 19, while the VIP Show will open the three-day programme on December 17.
With Gengetone receiving a dedicated spotlight and electronic music gaining its own festival experience, Solfest is positioning this year’s edition as a celebration of the different sounds that make up Kenya’s music identity.
