For RAO fans: Playlist to tide you over the 7-days of mourning

Music has long walked beside Raila Odinga’s political life, from campaign anthems blasted from matatus to intimate songs he was known to hum.

As the country remembers Baba, these tracks serve as grief-work and memory: they celebrate moments, recall rallies, and keep public memory alive.

Below are songs and tributes, each with context, why it mattered and reminds Kenyans of the different times in Raila’s life.

Onyi Papa Jey - Raila ODM (2007 campaign-era)

Onyi Papa Jey’s “Raila” (commonly referred to as Raila ODM) is one of the most recognisable musical tributes associated with Raila Odinga.

Released around the 2007 election period, the song sits at the intersection of ohangla/benga rhythms and political messaging: it is both celebratory and mobilising.

Onyi Papa Jey, who rose to national prominence partly on the strength of this and similar tracks, composed a melody and chorus that ordinary supporters could sing back at rallies.

The lyrics praise Raila’s resilience and present him as a defender of the people, which is why it became an anthem in Nyanza and beyond.

Mambo Yabadilika - (used as a NASA-era anthem by Hellena Ken

'Mambo Yabadilika' (“Things Are Changing”) is a gospel song by Hellenah Ken and later adopted in political contexts most notably by the NASA coalition in 2017.

The song’s biblical imagery and refrain of renewal fit NASA’s campaign language about national change; activists and campaign DJs used the chorus to create a sense of moral urgency and collective mission.

The use of sacred music and political mobilisation made the song effective in rallies where faith and politics were deliberately entwined.

Onyi Jalamo - NASA (Tibim) (2017)

'NASA (Tibim)' is a song released by Onyi Jalamo in 2017, explicitly tied to the NASA coalition era. The word Tibim became a rallying phrase in political circles, with DJs and campaign teams adapting the chant “NASA Tibim” to energise crowds.

Baba & Emmanuel Musindi - Leo Ni Leo (remix)

The Leo Ni Leo remix featuring Baba and Emmanuel Musindi has been part campaign chant, part party tune and part communal affirmation.

The remix reworks a familiar chorus into a more direct, celebratory statement about presence and action, ‘Today is the day’  becomes a political and cultural slogan.

The track’s production blends Afro-fusion arrangements and danceable grooves with call-and-response hooks, which made it a staple at rallies and community events.

Musa Juma - Raila Amolo Odinga (Remix)

Musa Juma, a legendary benga maestro, recorded a tender and melodic homage to Raila that differs from the campaign-stomp style: it’s a cultural salute rather than a direct political broadcast.

Musa’s Raila Amolo Odinga (and remix versions) emphasise admiration and lineage placing Raila in a broader story of Luo leadership and resilience.

Because Musa was a musician whose career bridged rural dancefloors and urban radio, his tribute reached audiences who might not have been at rallies but who understood benga’s role in social life.

Prince Indah - Tribute to Rt. Hon Raila Odinga

Prince Indah is a new age ohangla star rooted in Luo musical traditions, has been among the frontline musicians releasing fresh tributes during the mourning period.

Prince Indah’s tribute song reads like elegies they mix direct references to public episodes (campaigns, rallies) with personal recollections of shared stages and family events.

Bahati - Bye Bye Baba

Bahati’s 'Bye Bye Baba' is a tribute to Raila released immediately after Raila was announced dead.

Bahati who boasts of a huge digital reach delivered polished vocals and a music video that mixes footage of crowds, archive clips and moments meant to evoke national mourning.

That professional sheen matters: in a moment of mourning, many listeners turned to established artists whose production values signal both seriousness and scale.

The song’s chorus and lyrical structure deliberately combine lament and thanksgiving a musical form common in African funeral culture.

Stephen Kasolo - RIP / Raila

Stephen Kasolo is a Kamba gospel singer who has, over the past day, produced tender lyric-video tributes and recordings that emphasise prayer and intercession.

Unlike the campaign anthems, Kasolo follows the older gospel tradition of communal prayer set to melody songs that invite listeners to reflect and pray for the bereaved family and the nation.

Vinc on the Beat - Raila Amolo Odinga (Tribute) ft. collaborators

Vinc on the Beat is credited with producing a recent tribute that pairs modern production with local vocalists and choirs.

The track is notable because it blends contemporary beats with traditional chorus responses a production choice that allows younger listeners to feel involved while giving elders the comfort of familiar refrains.

Damian Sanya - Raila Odinga (Nenda Salama)

Damian Sanya’s Nenda Salama (Farewell/Go in Peace) is an immediate, plaintive response to loss: it uses quiet instrumentation, a repeated benediction phrase and a vocal style that leans gospel.

Because these tributes were recorded and uploaded within hours or days of Raila’s passing, they function as primary acts of public grief songs that people use in home memorials, car processions and candlelight vigils.

Damian’s melodic choices sparse percussion, soft backing choirs make the song suitable for radio blocks that switched programming to continuous tributes.