Dem Wa Facebook laments Kenyan artistes’ failure to collaborate on one Raila song
Comedienne Dem Wa Facebook has called on local musicians to set aside competition and come together to produce a single, powerful tribute song in honour of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Speaking in a TikTok video on Sunday, October 19, 2025, she cited the example set by Tanzanian artistes following the death of former President John Magufuli.
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She emphasised that when Tanzanian musicians lost a national leader, they united to release one collaborative song that resonated across the nation, rather than producing multiple individual tributes.
“Yes, we said it, right now, musicians are singing tribute songs, but we comedians, we can’t do anything because we cannot make fun of a funeral. At this moment, we are just giving our opinions.”
She urged Kenyan artistes to adopt a similar approach, warning that releasing separate songs could dilute the impact and emotional weight of the tribute.
“You have seen how the comedian said that Kenyan artistes should come together and release one meaningful song instead of each doing their own,” she said.
Also watch: Mombasa residents march in memory of Raila Odinga
Dem Wa Facebook further noted that collaborative tributes not only honour the departed but also strengthen the music industry by showcasing creativity under a shared purpose.
She urged artistes to put aside personal differences and ego, stressing that moments of national mourning are bigger than individual rivalries.
“And it is true, when our neighbours, the Tanzanians, mourned, they came up with one smart song that even trended until now. Do not each release your own song. You sing a bad song. Instead, unite instead of singing one bad song each. And as Tom Daktari said, if you sing a funeral or mournful song, do not use it to get YouTube subscriptions or views. Do not do that.”
Her remarks come as several Kenyan musicians have already released their own tributes following Raila Odinga’s passing in Kerala, India, on Wednesday, October 15, 2025.
Songs such as Prince Indah’s Wuod Oganda, Amolo 3 in 1 and King Kaka’s Huu Wimbo Ni Wako Baba have dominated social media, reflecting both public grief and the wide influence of the late statesman.
Supporting the call for unity, comedian and content creator Oliver, popularly known as YY, also urged Kenyan artistes to collaborate on a single tribute track.
Also watch: Kikuyu Council of Elders mourns Raila as a nationalist and patriot
Speaking in a video shared on Saturday, October 18, 2025, YY said that while diversity in artistic expression is admirable, moments of collective grief demand that artists rise above personal differences.
“I understand that people can have differences, but when you come together for a cause, that cause becomes bigger than you,” he said.
He added that artistes should not allow ego to overshadow the need to honour Raila’s legacy, noting that such collaborations can leave a lasting impact both culturally and socially.
“I understand that people can have differences, but when you come together for a cause, that cause becomes bigger than you. You cannot say, for example, that because your rival contributed first towards someone’s treatment, you will refuse to contribute. No, that is not right,” YY added.
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Steve Ireri
Steve is a senior writer with over four years of experience in digital journalism. His focus is on the showbiz and human interest stories. Emails: [email protected] , [email protected]
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