Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga has send his heartfelt condolences to the family of legendary rhumba music singer Juma Toto following his sudden death.
In his message of condolences posted via his official twitter handle, Raila described Toto as a most gifted and prolific musician.
He said death has not only robbed the family but also the country, Africa and the music industry.
“The death of legendary rhumba singer Juma Toto has robbed the country, Africa and the music industry of one of its most gifted and prolific musicians. I join Juma’s fans in mourning his sudden death. May God grant peace and strength to his family at this moment of grief,” Raila wrote.
Toto will be fondly remembered by many older music lovers for a popular song ‘FC Gor Mahia’, which he composed in honour of the Kenyan soccer giants in the early 1970s.
Until his death at the age of 70 on Tuesday night at the Kenyatta National Hospital, the soft-spoken Toto, who mentored many into stardom, was the chairman of the Kenya Musicians Union (Kemu), an organisation bringing together both long-serving and up-and-coming artistes.
Toto died of suspected brain haemorrhage after he accidentally fell and injured his head last week
Toto was in the class of a few surviving veteran musicians, who in the 1960s and into 1980s excelled with performances of popular dance beats at various hotels across the country.
His contemporaries include David Amunga, Shem Tube, John Nzenze, Fanuel Amimo and Peter Akhwabi.