{"id":2051,"date":"2025-10-25T15:28:41","date_gmt":"2025-10-25T15:28:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stateupdate.co.ke\/?p=2051"},"modified":"2025-10-25T15:34:32","modified_gmt":"2025-10-25T15:34:32","slug":"r-i-p-francis-atwoli-in-mourning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateupdate.co.ke\/index.php\/2025\/10\/25\/r-i-p-francis-atwoli-in-mourning\/","title":{"rendered":"R.I.P Francis Atwoli in Mourning"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a><\/div>

Few friendships in Kenya\u2019s political and social space have been as visible and enduring as that between\u00a0Francis Atwoli\u00a0and\u00a0Raila Amolo Odinga<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The two shared not just a political bond but a deep respect rooted in their lifelong service to the people \u2014 Atwoli, as the fiery defender of workers\u2019 rights, and Raila, as the relentless advocate for democracy and justice.<\/p>\n

Together, they often stood shoulder to shoulder on national matters, voicing the struggles of the common mwananchi.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Their unity was especially evident during the\u00a02022 General Election, when Atwoli openly threw his weight behind Raila\u2019s presidential bid. He traversed the country, urging workers to rally behind Raila, describing him as\u00a0\u201cthe only leader who truly understands the pain of the ordinary Kenyan.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0Through rallies, interviews, and union gatherings, Atwoli stood firm, even when the political winds grew rough \u2014 a loyalty that cemented their bond beyond politics.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Today, as Kenya mourns the passing of Raila Odinga, the\u00a0Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU)\u00a0boss has found solace in a song that has stirred emotions across East Africa \u2014\u00a0\u201cKenya, Congo Inasimama Na Wewe\u201d<\/em>\u00a0by Congolese superstar\u00a0Fally Ipupa.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In a viral clip shared by Atwoli on X (formerly Twitter), the veteran unionist is seen gently swaying and nodding to the rhythm of Fally\u2019s soulful dirge \u2014 a cross-border tribute blending Congolese rumba with Kenyan undertones. Though no words escape his<\/a> lips, his body language speaks volumes: grief, admiration, and unspoken brotherhood.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Observers say the clip captures Atwoli\u2019s softer side \u2014 the man known for his booming voice and bold declarations<\/a> now letting music express what words cannot. Behind him, close friends and associates watch silently, the mood heavy with remembrance.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The song, which honours Raila\u2019s legacy and prays for unity between Kenya and Congo, has quickly become an anthem of mourning. Its haunting chorus,\u00a0\u201cKenya, Congo inasimama nawe\u2026 Baba Odinga, tulikupenda sana,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0echoes across social media timelines, leaving many Kenyans teary-eyed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Those who have seen Atwoli\u2019s video say it\u2019s not just a dance \u2014 it\u2019s a farewell. A moment frozen in rhythm and sorrow, where one friend mourns another, not through speeches, but through the universal language of music.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

More than just a union leader, Atwoli\u2019s gesture reminds the nation that\u00a0grief can be graceful, and that the legacy of<\/a> comradeship between two icons of Kenya\u2019s social and political movement will live far beyond their time.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

https:\/\/stateupdate.co.ke\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/RCAyDkX6Lhl24ye.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Few friendships in Kenya\u2019s political and social space have been as visible and enduring as that between\u00a0Francis Atwoli\u00a0and\u00a0Raila Amolo Odinga. The two shared not just a political bond but a deep respect rooted in their lifelong service to the people \u2014 Atwoli, as the fiery defender of workers\u2019 rights, and Raila, as the relentless advocate […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2052,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2051","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"blocksy_meta":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/stateupdate.co.ke\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/atwoli2.png?fit=716%2C447&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pc68Dd-x5","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateupdate.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2051","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateupdate.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateupdate.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateupdate.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateupdate.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2051"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/stateupdate.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2051\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2057,"href":"https:\/\/stateupdate.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2051\/revisions\/2057"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateupdate.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2052"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateupdate.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2051"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateupdate.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2051"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateupdate.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2051"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}