Orchestra Baba Nationale  was formed around 1956/57 by Baba Gaston at the age of 20 (Baba National Orchestre). Like most of the Congolese bands that followed, Orchestra Baba Nationale took on an extended tour through Zambia, Zimbabwe and several European countries before becoming one of the first Congolese musicians to settle in East Africa in the early 70s.

Like many bands from that era, to obtain recording services, they had to travel to major cities and they chose Kinshasa. Not that they had many choices :-) According to Evani Kabila Kabanze, who performed with the Band while they were in Lubumbashi, their eventual landing spot happened just by chance.

Around 1971, because of the poor roads in Congo, they took the Kisangani route through Kilemi which lies on the Congolese border with Tanzania. But, instead of proceeding to Kinshasa, they decided to enter East Africa, having heard of  the better recording studios in Kenya and Tanzania.

They chose to stay in Dar-es-Salaam for a four year stint. They found it cheaper there and built a strong fan base. For recording purposes, they would cross the border and travel to Nairobi Kenya.  In 1975 only four years after arriving in Dar-es-Salaam, Then band leader Baba Gaston decided to move the band to Nairobi. Several reasons led to this move among them Band operation Economics and they also realized they had an even bigger following in Kenya