Emotions run high as 'Firirinda' singer Dickson Munyonyi is laid to rest

Veteran Mugithi singer Dickson Munyonyi who shot to fame after his 'Firirinda' song went viral has been laid to rest in an emotional ceremony in Kiambu county.

Hundreds of mourners and politicians turned up at Githuya Primary School in Gatundu South where the funeral service for the singer who breathed his last on January 06, 2024 took place.

Public Service Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria was present at the event.

Earlier on, politicians including nominated Member of Parliament Sabina Chege, Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang'wa, and Gatundu South MP Gabriel Kagombe condoled with the bereaved family.

A section of netizens was however not impressed with the visit made by the politicians as they questioned where the politicians were as Munyonyi’s family struggled with medical bills.

Nominated Member of Parliament Sabina Chege, Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang'wa, and Gatundu South MP Gabriel Kagombe condoling with Dick Munyonyi's family Pulse Live Kenya

The family put out numerous appeals to well-wishers to the help in offsetting the singer’s medical bills on several occasions before passing on at Gatundu Level 5 Hospital in Kiambu County where he had been admitted, battling health complications.

Medical appeal

Sharing the medical appeal message, one of the musicians from the central region identified as Kajei Salim said he had received a call from the legend, Dick Njoroge. The message said that he has been unwell and that he needed financial help to cater for his medical bill amounting to more than Sh1.5 million.

In November last year, the singer’s family organized a fundraiser, targeting to raise Sh1.5 million.

"Dear friends, artistes, and fans of Dick Njoroge Munyonyi 'Firirinda'. I'm making this post in regard to a phone call I received from our legend Dick Munyonyi. He reached out to me and told me he has been unwell for a while and he really needs our moral, mental, and mostly financial help to cater for his medical bills which are amounting to over Sh 1.5 million," said Kajei Salim, a musicians from the central Kenya region.

"Dick and his family have organised a fundraising which will be held on the 26th of November 2022 at his residence in Githuya Village at 2:00 PM. Please let us support our legend now that he really needs us," he added.

Becoming a hit song decades after release

Dick came into the public limelight in 2021 after his song 'Firirinda' made headlines on social media after a radio presenter who works for a local radio station, Jeff Kuria shared it on social media and took the internet by storm.

'Firirinda' hitmaker, Dick Njoroge Pulse Live Kenya

Firirinda is a traditional song that shows the warmth and joy of welcoming visitors and trended for months in Kenya especially on Twitter almost 35 years after its release.

The song got everyone dancing to the tune including politicians as on February 23 Murang’a MCA’s danced to the song after passing the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) bill. It also became a common song during wedding and dowry payment events.