When Elijah Manyeki opened a shop dedicated exclusively to cowboy apparel in Nairobi, he was betting on what many dismissed as a fringe lifestyle. Today, that gamble has grown into a Sh15 million enterprise, riding on the back of Kenya’s growing love for country music and cowboy culture.
“I started with motorbike apparel, then I realised there was an opportunity in cowboy attire,” says Manyeki, the founder of Cowboys & Cowgirls Apparels and national chairman of the Kenya Country Music Cowboys and Cowgirls Association. “We decided to open a shop where we serve the whole region with cowboy attire.”
From hats and boots to jackets and belts, his store has become the go-to destination for enthusiasts across Kenya and neighbouring countries. Original cowboy hats sourced from Texas and Mexico retail for between Sh10,000 and Sh20,000, while budget versions sell for Sh1,000 to Sh1,500. “Hats move very fast because people who cannot afford the original ones buy the cheaper versions for local events,” he explains.
The business has grown from an initial investment of about Sh3 million to a valuation of Sh15 million, serving customers not only in Nairobi but also in Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. Additionally, corporate clients have emerged as a surprising revenue stream. “My biggest customers are corporates doing office events and company events. We also sell a lot during country music and dancing events,” he says.
Manyeki’s first attempt to organise a country music festival in Kenya was unsuccessful. “When we wanted to do the first edition, it was back in 2022, but we had challenges because of COVID-19 shutdowns. Not to forget the political demonstrations, the timing was unfavourable.”
It wasn’t until 2024 that the inaugural International Cowboys and Cowgirls Day festival finally took place, drawing more than 5,000 people. This year’s edition at Ngong Racecourse attracted nearly 6,150 attendees, reflecting what Manyeki believes is a growing appetite for country music and cowboy culture in Kenya. “After the first edition, we found people who were willing to support us. They shared our vision,” he says.
While the inaugural festival cost about Sh4.5 million to stage, this year’s event was organised at approximately Sh3.2 million, thanks to stronger sponsor support and better planning. Advance tickets sold for Sh1,000, gate tickets for Sh1,500, and the event generated a Sh1.8 million return for the organisers. “The first one was costly because we didn’t have the right networks. But after researching better and getting the right people to support us, the cost was a bit lower this time,” says Manyeki.
Cowboy culture as lifestyle
For Manyeki, the appeal of country music in Kenya extends far beyond the stage. “Since we introduced cowboy activities, we have seen people who are willing to learn line dancing, farming, improvement of beef cattle and horse breeding,” he says. The association now organises camping trips, ranch road trips, and end-of-year celebrations. “We get a lot of customers because most of our fans check what we do online. Social media has really boosted us in the advertising of our events.”
Nearly three-quarters of attendees at this year’s festival were young people. “We can see the young people are really looking forward to country music, line dancing, and they are really supporting what we are doing,” says Manyeki. “We have Gen Z, millennials and also we have the elderly people, so country music cuts across all ages.”
Cowboy fashion has become the most visible symbol of the movement. Jackets, waistcoats, boots and belts sourced from Texas and Mexico now line Manyeki’s shelves. “When we started, people didn’t dress in cowboy attire. Today you can walk through town on a weekday and find someone dressed in cowboy wear,” he says. The retailer supplies wholesale customers outside Nairobi, shipping merchandise to towns such as Nanyuki and exporting orders to neighbouring countries. The company also works with young artists, university models and upcoming creatives by providing apparel for promotional activities, helping broaden awareness of cowboy fashion beyond its traditional audience.
For David Mikwa, better known as “State Marshall,” country music is more than entertainment. “I discovered country music through the older generation. My uncles and my grandpa used to listen to a lot of country music. I’ve grown up around country music, and I just loved it since I was a child,” he says. He has attended every country music event organised in Kenya and estimates he has spent about Sh30,000 assembling his cowboy wardrobe, with the hat accounting for the largest expense. “If you want a quality hat, I’d say you just go for it and spend it.”
Mikwa believes perceptions are shifting. “When you say country music, there’s the classic country music... and then there’s a new generation of country music, the Shaboozey style, the Post Malone style. You’ll find that the younger generation likes listening to the new style with a mix of classic. But when you look at it, it’s all still country.”
Anne Njoroge, popularly known as Daddy’s Gal, echoes that sentiment. “I grew up listening to country music because of my mother. She used to listen to Dolly Parton a lot together with Alan Jackson. With time, I loved how relatable the music was, and eventually I fell in love with the whole country lifestyle,” she says. Now a media personality and master of ceremonies, she has become one of the familiar faces at country events. “What makes me come back very often to country music events is the people and the atmosphere. I just love seeing everyone happy, smiling, dancing, singing and having a great time. And of course the attire, the boots and the hats.”
Kenya’s country scene is also attracting international attention. Cowboy communities from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada have reached out to collaborate after discovering Kenya’s growing country scene online. This year’s festival featured Nigerian country artist Ochiora Okogeri, popularly known as The Country Man, whose performance became one of the highlights. “Coming to Kenya to perform country music, it’s me doing country music on easy mode,” he said. “In Nigeria, when I perform, people are thrilled by the way I do what I do, not necessarily the music or the style of music. But in Kenya, the music is everything.”
Okogeri was struck by how deeply the culture has taken root, from line dancing to cowboy fashion. “When I got to Kenya, I found that it was more a lifestyle. The country culture here is huge. People wear the outfits, you have different vendors selling cowboy hats just before you enter the venue, and it’s crazy,” he said. Line dancing, in particular, left an impression. “When I was on stage, and everybody was line dancing, they were doing the same moves, synchronised, and I was like, ‘When did these people learn this thing?’”
Okogeri also believes country music's enduring appeal in Africa can be traced to its popularity during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, when the genre spread across the continent.
“I feel like the golden age of country music was in the 70s, 80s and 90s. That is when country music permeated the world,” he said, arguing that people who grew up with the genre continued listening to it and passed the music on to their children.
He said Kenya appeared to have retained that influence more strongly than Nigeria. “In Kenya, the hold is stronger. The culture is something that was cultivated and right now is what is exhibited today,” he said.
Both organisers and fans believe Kenya’s country music movement is only beginning. “I believe Kenya is going to be the beacon of country music in Africa,” says Mikwa. “As we continue to reach out to more people, the scene is growing and it’s going to be bigger in five years’ time.” Anne agrees: “I see it becoming much bigger and more mainstream, with more artistes, more events and more media platforms embracing it. I believe Kenya also will develop its own unique country sound.”
Manyeki shares that optimism. “We are growing bigger because the whole region is seeing country music grow. People are combining Kikuyu country, Kalenjin country and Luo country, and we are looking forward to partnering with everyone who wants to do country,” he says.
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