This archive report was first published on 12 September 2019.
Kenyan music has lost a legend with the passing of Juma Toto, the 70-year-old benga maestro behind the hit song 'FC Gor Mahia', released in 1970.
Published on September 12, 2019, the song became an anthem for the 18-time Kenyan champions, Gor Mahia, and a symbol of their dominance in the local football scene, culminating in their appearance in the Africa Champions Cup in 1979 against Cameroon's Canon Yaounde.
According to his niece, Dorcas Odumbe, Juma Toto died last night at Kenyatta Hospital while undergoing treatment after a head surgery to repair a skull injury he sustained in a fall at Jerusalem Estate in Nairobi on Friday.
Before his untimely death, Juma Toto had a storied music career, having worked with Rumba legend Gabriel Omollo of the Blue Shades Band, which released the hit song 'Lunch Time' in 1976, earning a Golden Disk Award for selling 150,000 records.
Originally from Gem, Siaya, Juma Toto's legacy will be remembered through his iconic songs and the impact he had on Kenyan music.
