Established in 1977 by four brothers from the Juma family of Mombasa. Like many teenagers growing up in the seventies in Mombasa, the brothers were either fascinated by sports, i.e. Football, Swimming etc or Music.

The brothers, two of whom were into music, frequented the local estate groups. As is always the case of any Talent, Ebrahim kept strumming his guitar whenever he had the opportunity in the 'Mtaani' Barazas (this is where young people gathered after school to play board games) or just sit and chill. Emile aka Ahmed Juma whose talent excelled from the word go, was always trying to create or copy the wizardry of stars like Carlos Santana or Jimi Hendrix, strumming the strings with his multi coloured plectrum.

The Juma brothers were Saeed - Band Manager, Ebrahim - Bass & Vocals and Suleiman - Keyboards/Vocals. They were later joined by Guitar Wizard Mahmood 'Carlos' Siraj on Guitar/ Vocals, in the wind section Hassan Malambo - on Trumpet/Vocals, on Drums - Tamrat Kabede, one of the finest Drummers I have seen perform. They were also much later joined by Ahmed Juma on Guitar/Saxophone/Vocals and Dalla Kombo as Lead Singer and Percussionist.

The Group was complete, hosting some of Mombasa finest musicians of the time and with performances a galore throughout Kenya; the group was the hottest selling commodity on the local music scene.

Every success calls for the need to put ones Talent on tape and that is just what Mombasa Roots did. In 1987 they walked into Polygram Studios and recorded their first Album, 'Msa Mombasa' a hit album packed with an infusion of Afro Rock and Cha Ka Cha, an upbeat traditional coastal beat that was yet to hit the market in its contemporary form. The Album featured Hit Track ‘Disco Cha Ka Cha’, and as the 80’s were the era of the Disco Craze the Group nailed it with their Cha Ka Cha version with a Disco Beat. The album also had the more traditional track 'Kata Kata' and both hits were Anthems on Radio and in Clubs and topped the local Charts.

As a Group that also played in Tourist Class Hotels, their sounds became synonymous with the international clientele that frequented Mombasa and other up country tourist destinations. This paid off for Mombasa Roots.

Things were about to get bigger, and bigger. Performance invitations poured in from across the continents, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, Ethiopia, Dubai, Oman to name a few. In fact they were so successful in some of these destinations especially Oman that they usually got extensions to their contracts over and over again.One venue that group leader Ebrahim has fond memories of is an English Pub, ‘The Dukes Bar’ at The Crown Plaza Hotel in Oman, where they had such an exceptional performance that they had their contract extended for a further 18 months.

Mombasa Roots is one of the few bands that have maintained their high profile and have adapted and kept pace with the fast changing face of both Local and International Music Styles. Their interactive style of performance with audiences is no mean feat to achieve and Mombasa Roots have done it. Many Artistes or Groups find it very hard to involve their audiences during performances especially when performing with backing tracks which has become quiet notorious in many performers today.

In 1999 they released the sensational CD, 'Lele Mama', a traditional coastal anthem that put the group back where they belong, at the Top of the Charts and on Radio & Television Play lists.

They have had their fair share of ups and downs. In 1990 one of the Juma brothers, Ahmed Juma, parted ways with the group to pursue a course in Audio Engineering in the US, and on his return started one of the first digital Sound Studio in Kenya, Sync Sounds, and later joined Citizen Media Group. Ahmed Juma passed away in Mombasa in 2005. Another member, Drummer Tamrat Kabede, an Ethopian National, migrated to Sweden and resided there until his passing away in 1999. Trumpet player Hassan Malambo left the Band to join his family business and passed away in 1989. Two more members left in 1986, Lead Singer Dalla Kombo and Guitarist Mahmood Siraj left to join another local group. Saeed Juma, the then Manager also left in 1995 to try his luck in the farming business. In 2005, long serving Member and one of the Key founders, brother Sulieman Juma, migrated to Canada with his family so as to be closer to his children who were pursuing their education there.

The Band was going through a transition but kept focused and maintained their place on the scene still enjoying a generous amount of publicity and contracts both Local and International. The Group acquired the services of British born lead singer, Jacky Freeman, and veteran super drummer, Salim Karama, to join their line up. Suleiman Juma was replaced by a renowned Keyboard player Hassan Swaleh on Keyboards/vocals

The Nazareth Sisters, a Talented Duo from Mombasa, Saeed Tito, now based in Germany, Catherine Wekesa and Susan Kahumbu, a former Model and Beauty Pageant turned musician, to name a few, were all contracted to play with the band at one time or another.

The current line up of Mombasa Roots is six members, four male and two female. It is an ideal Kenyan Band playing a diverse repertoire of Traditional Kenyan Rhythms, from the Kikuyu Mugithi, Classic Luo and Luhya tunes, the tantalising coastal Cha Ka Cha Beats, Reggae, Jazz, Lingala Afro Sounds, Dance, Pop, Disco, Hip Hop, Latino and even Arabic. Try listening and dancing to the Mombasa Roots when they belt out the current Top of the Charts Hits, you will be Blown Away. The Group has got it all and have kept audiences yearning for more since their inception decades ago.

Currently Mombasa Roots are working on their new album that will have a fusion of the current trend of Kenyan Music. The CD is scheduled for release this October and an International Tour is in the offing this Summer.

The Mombasa Roots have never stopped surprising and tantalising us with their exceptional stage performances and releases and as Ebrahim puts it, "there's plenty more to come" just keep on Track with us, our message to our fans and well wishers is simple, " Love is the Message and The Message is Love", Tuko Pamoja.