“Amollo… you’ve left us” — Raila’s Friend Breaks Into Loud Luo Dirge

The recent death of Raila Odinga has plunged the nation — and especially the Luo community — into deep mourning. Among the many emotional reactions, one of the most poignant came from his longtime friend, Mzee Olang’o Nyabola, who during an interview visibly broke down and began singing a traditional Luo dirge.

A Pain Shared in Grief and Melody

Nyabola repeatedly called out Raila’s traditional name, “Amollo, son of Bonyo,” lamenting that “the grave has taken you,” and lamenting the emptiness left in the world. In his mourning, he voiced not only sorrow at the loss of a friend and leader, but also fear — asking who will bury him when his time comes now that Raila is gone. His dirge recalled the suffering Raila endured: imprisonment, torture, dark nights in detention — describing how those hardships helped steer Kenya toward multiparty democracy. The dirge — more than a cry of pain — became a eulogy in song, a deeply rooted cultural expression of loss, respect, and collective mourning.

🌍 What This Mourning Means for Kenya

The raw emotion and public grieving underscore how much Raila meant — not just as a political figure — but as someone who touched lives, friendships, communities and generations.Traditional mourning rituals like dirges, ululations, and communal grief are taking center stage, giving space for collective healing while pointing to Kenya’s rich cultural heritage. For many, the grief isn’t only about losing a leader. It’s about losing a guiding symbol — a figure that embodied resilience, hope and political struggle.

A Time for Reflection, Unity, and Remembrance

At a moment like this, grief brings communities together. It is not only a time to lament, but also a time to remember — to honour memory, legacy, and what such figures stood for: democracy, justice, and unity.To elders like Nyabola, the dirge is not just mourning: it’s a solemn vow that the values Raila championed will not be forgotten.