When mourners gathered to sing Jamaica Farewell at Raila Odinga’s state funeral, many thought they were simply honouring a song the former prime minister loved.
Ida Odinga, his widow, has since revealed that the lyrics carried a weight far more personal than most people knew.
What was the true meaning of Raila’s favourite song?
Speaking during the unveiling of Raila’s mausoleum, Ida explained that the Harry Belafonte classic was not just a favourite tune for Raila. It was, in many ways, the story of her marriage.
“We have had ups and downs, long periods when Raila would not be around. There is this song that everybody now sings: ‘Down the way where the nights are gay, I took a trip on a sailing ship, and when I reached Jamaica, I made a stop. But I’m sad to say that I’m on my way, I’ll be gone for many a day. The sun is down, my head is turning around. I had to leave a little girl in Kingston Town,'” Ida recounted.
She then made clear who that little girl was.
“That little girl that he kept leaving behind and singing that song is Ida Odinga. Who was that who was left behind when he went to detention and came back? That was me. So, when I hear you singing that song because you like the lyrics, just know that there was a little girl who was being left behind,” she said.
Raila was a devoted fan of Harry Belafonte’s music and regularly performed Jamaica Farewell during television interviews. The lyrics, which speak of leaving loved ones behind while travelling far from home, mirrored the reality of his long and turbulent political career, which included multiple stints in detention.
After Raila’s death in October 2025, the song found a new audience. At his state funeral held at Nyayo National Stadium, President William Ruto joined the gathered mourners in singing it, turning a personal favourite into a national moment of mourning.
Watch the video below:
