Renowned Gospel Musician Dr. Reuben Kigame Pays Tribute to the Life and Ministry of Dr. Ron Kenoly

Celebrated Kenyan gospel musician and presidential candidate Dr. Reuben Kigame has penned a heartfelt tribute honoring the life, ministry, and global impact of legendary worship leader Dr. Ron Kenoly, who passed away in 2026 at the age of 80.

In a reflective piece celebrating Kenoly’s extraordinary legacy, Dr. Kigame described him as one of the few gospel musicians whose influence transcended borders, cultures, and musical styles. He hailed Dr. Kenoly as a global, authentic, versatile, inclusive, and deeply impactful minister whose music reshaped contemporary worship across generations and continents.

Dr. Kigame revealed that Ron Kenoly played a pivotal role in shaping his own musical journey, influencing his songwriting, music arrangement, studio and live productions, concert delivery, worship leadership, lyrical depth, and genre diversity. While acknowledging that Kenoly’s influence spans many areas, Dr. Kigame highlighted three defining lessons that profoundly shaped his ministry.

The first, he noted, was Dr. Kenoly’s fearless embrace of musical versatility. From Latino-infused praise songs such as Lift Him Up and Ancient of Days, reggae rhythms in Winnerman, RnB-inspired worship like Beauty for Ashes, Afro-jazz expressions reminiscent of Hugh Masekela in Sing Out, to deeply reflective choral worship ballads such as Anointing Fall on Me and Hallowed Be Thy Name, Kenoly demonstrated that worship could be both diverse and deeply spiritual.

According to Dr. Kigame, this versatility gave him courage at a time when the Kenyan church was highly critical of multi-genre gospel music. He recalled facing strong opposition in the late 1980s for incorporating reggae and Afro-beats into gospel productions—criticisms that labeled such expressions as a departure from “pure” church music. Dr. Kenoly’s global success, he said, affirmed the belief that musical styles are neutral tools for expressing worship and helped normalize diverse genres within African church liturgy.

Dr. Kigame also cited Kenoly’s commitment to musical excellence as a defining influence. He noted that Kenoly consistently identified and collaborated with world-class Christian musicians, believing that God deserved the very best. Legendary instrumentalists such as Abraham Laboriel Sr., Chester Thompson, Alex Acuna, Justo Almario, Marty Walsh, Tom Brooks, and expansive choirs and brass sections set a standard that inspired Kigame to adopt a similar approach in his own productions.

This pursuit of excellence, Dr. Kigame said, often came at great personal cost but yielded lasting impact. He recounted investing heavily in top-tier talent during his Never Alone album recording in the United States and later applying the same commitment in Kenya through large-scale choral arrangements, high-quality video productions, and live concert recordings such as Ombi Langu and Worship at the Tent at CITAM Eldoret. He credited Kenoly with influencing a generation of African gospel artists to embrace excellence in live worship experiences.

The third and perhaps most profound influence, Dr. Kigame noted, was Kenoly’s emphasis on intimacy with God as the foundation of authentic worship. He observed that Kenoly’s music reflected a deep personal walk with God, anchored in truth and spiritual sincerity, drawing inspiration from scriptures such as John 4:23–24 and Revelation 7:9. Songs like Ancient of Days, he said, powerfully captured the vision of global worship that unites diverse cultures before God’s throne.

Dr. Kigame concluded by honoring Dr. Ron Kenoly as a faithful servant who had “fought the good fight and finished the race,” quoting Revelation 14:13 in affirmation of a life whose works will continue to speak long after his passing.

As tributes continue to pour in from across the world, Dr. Ron Kenoly is remembered not only as a gifted musician but as a transformative worship leader whose ministry reshaped global gospel music and left an enduring legacy of excellence, authenticity, and unity in worship.