Who the f**k is Abbi?" was K-South’s bad boy Bamboo’s first reaction to the news of Abbi Mudunia’s double victory in the Kisima Music Awards. It may be a strong reaction, but Bamboo’s outburst heralds the raging furore stalking the Kisima awards organisers since Saturday night.

It wasn’t that Abbi Mudunia, a newcomer whose music has enjoyed almost zero airplay, won the Most Promising Artiste tag. It was the fact that he went on to win Best Male Artiste that had many in shock. Bamboo, for example, wonders how one can be the Most Promising Artiste and then be declared the Best Male Artiste. "You can’t win both at the same time," he asserts.

When contacted for comment, Abbi said: "Eh? That’s what people are saying? I didn’t know that. I’m just glad to have won both awards and I’m very grateful to all the people who voted for me."

The Kisima awards ceremony marked a night of mixed fortunes for Kenyan musicians. Hip-hop gurus like Gidigidi Majimaji, CMB Prezzo, K-South Mr Lenny and XYZee did not win anything. Songbirds Wahu, Tattuu, Achieng’ Abura and Princess Jully were disappointed too.

Ogopa could only console themselves with the one award Nameless took home, while the entire Calif crew got nothing.

The event was organised by veteran producer Tedd Josiah of Blu Zebra, who also clinched the Best Music Producer of the Year award. Although he later gave the award to other music producers, many were perturbed that he entered the awards that he had organised. Bamboo says it is ridiculous for Tedd to have been a nominee.

But Banda, spokesperson for the Ogopa DJs, says Tedd deserved the award, while Clemo of Calif Records concedes that the competition was fair.

However, Ambrose Akwabi of Mandugu Digitals says the idea of Tedd taking part in the competition is outrageous. "He ought to have excluded himself."

"Tedd has definitely crossed the boundaries by rewarding himself as producer of the year," observes Bamboo.

"And what about Didge?" the rapper charges, "he hasn’t even done an album yet. How does he manage to scoop R&B Artiste of the Year award? Is it because he works with Blu Zebra?"

Bamboo is upset by the fact that during the announcement of the nominees in the category K-South had been nominated, their music was not played.

"Why should other nominees’ songs be played while ours is left out? That’s not the way music awards are conducted," he says angrily.

He charges that Kisima organisers were not transparent and that do not help in the development music talent in any way.

Other artistes echo his sentiments. Nonini, too, does not understand why he had to be placed in the Bumba Pop category.

"I really don’t understand what they mean by Bumba Pop and why they put my name there. I don’t do Bumba pop, I do Genge!"

Nonini confesses that when he saw his name "in the wrong category," he knew that he would not get anything. "You cannot win in a category you don’t belong to," says a disappointed Nonini. He applauds Necessary Noize for their triple victory. "They are good and no one can argue that," he says.

When the winner for Best Male Artiste category was about to be announced, Nonini, who was seated next to this writer, said it would go to either Prezzo or Nameless. He was wrong. The moment Abbi’s name was announced his first reaction was: "No! Abbi? Abbi nani? Man, I’m sure most music fans don’t know the guy, let alone his music!"

Jua Cali says the event was biased in any way one would look at it. "It seems that the trend Kisima has taken is to vote for only recent songs, meaning that songs done earlier are not recognised at all."

He alleges that Blu Zebra releases their music at a particular time to coincide with the Kisimas, so they end up scooping all the awards.

Gidigidi Majimaji feel that the Kisima concept is good but should be run by an independent organisation. They, too, question Tedd’s participation in the contest.

"He will have a tendency to be biased," says Maji. They are surprised that although their ‘Many Faces’ video is an international hit, the Kisimas failed to recognise it.

And for Tattuu’s Shinde, this year’s event was better than last year’s. "It was more organised." Her only problem with it is that, in her opinion, certain categories didn’t quite fit. She says the Tattuu trio is happy for the winners. Prezzo prefers not to comment.

Wahu says some categories were not fairly awarded but is happy for the winners, while Mr Lenny concedes that the category he was nominated in was hotly contested and that he had only a slim chance of winning. Benga queen Princess Jully says: "I have been a veteran in this (benga) field and I think its time youngsters took over. Frankly, I ‘m happy for them."

"Everybody who participated in this competition was good and it is a healthy competition," says Tanzania’s Professor Jay of the ‘Zali Za Mentali’ hit fame. His compatriot, Lady Jaydee declined to comment.