Captain Webster Otugha serenaded passengers with Jamaica Farewell, a 1956 classic by Harry Belafonte.Passengers aboard a Kenya Airways flight from Paris to Nairobi on Sunday morning were treated to an emotional moment when their captain broke into song in honour of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Captain Webster Otugha serenaded passengers with Jamaica Farewell, a 1956 classic by Harry Belafonte — a song Raila was known to love.
The captain said the tune captured the nation’s collective grief following Raila’s death from cardiac arrest on Wednesday.
“Down the way where the nights are gay, and the sun shines daily on the mountaintop, I took a trip on a sailing ship, and when I reached Jamaica, I made a stop,” Otugha sang through the aircraft’s public address system, drawing smiles and soft murmurs across the cabin.
He told passengers that the song mirrored the country’s current mood as Kenyans continue to mourn Raila, describing the atmosphere as “deeply sombre.”
“The country is now in a sombre mood mourning the death of former Prime Minister Rt Hon Raila Amollo Odinga, and Kenya Airways made sure that the body was repatriated in time. For those who may want to attend the funeral, Kenya Airways has arranged additional flights from Nairobi to Kisumu over the weekend,” he said.
Otugha used humour to lighten the mood, acknowledging that the flight, KQ113 from Paris, was running late.
“Someone was just whispering to me that if anyone would like to pass through passport control faster, maybe you could sing the song that was the late Hon Raila’s favourite. When they hear you sing it, they may expedite you through passport control faster than anyone else,” he joked.
Still keeping the tone light, the captain however quipped that not everyone might be bank on the challenge for quick service at the check point.
“I don’t know if that would work — some of us who only sing in the shower might have an opportunity to shine, especially now that the musicians are on the ground and we are the ones here,” he said before launching into the chorus.
The gesture attracted emotional reactions on X. "Macho zinauma juu ya kulia jamani. You've done well KQ. In this period, you've really done well," one user said.
"I would really love to see the reaction from the cabin, hope someone did capture that moment. Anyone from KQ113 drop something here," added another.
As he signed off, Captain Otugha reminded passengers to cherish Raila’s legacy of peace and service.
“After all is said and done, we must still carry on with the good legacies — making sure we are at peace with humanity and always doing our best to take care of our guests. Thank you, and have a lovely weekend,” he said.
Raila’s death has united Kenyans in mourning, with tributes pouring in from across the political divide as the nation prepares to lay him to rest in Bondo.
