[PHOTOS] Gor Mahia fans invade, take over Lady Maureen’s funeral

Gor Mahia Football Club fans and members of the public invaded the funeral of Ohangla music queen Lady Maureen on Saturday.

The colourful musician, who had a fast paced life and serenaded Gor Mahia fans had her burial turned into mass gathering leaving police officers overwhelmed by the huge crowd.

From Saturday dawn, fans donning green jerseys of the Kenya’s most successful football club invaded the Ojele Memorial Hospital mortuary to pick the body of the musician for a burial at Kopanga village at the Tanzania, Kenya border.

Blowing vuvuzelas and honking motorbike and vehicle horns, the fans took over the funeral.

Fans also had a chance to interact and take selfies with top Luo musicians who attended the funeral including Connie Kabary, Dola Kabary, Musa Jakadala, Emma Jalamo, Prince Inda, Odosh Jasuba among others.

“We have come to bury our hero, in life her songs kept the spirit of our football team alive and we gave her a befitting send off,” Jaro Soja, the football team fan said.

Maureen Achieng, as she was known, was buried in her family home and despite her huge fame and popularity had a small ‘akumba’, a traditional single room mud wall, built for her hurriedly a night before.

Jack Ochum, a fellow band member at Jully Boys Band under Princess Jully who said they lived as husband and wife for six years looked on as she was buried.

Ochum, who tried to have her buried in his home, stood far not recognised by the masses or her family.

“We lived for six years before she moved over to play in Tony Nyandundo’s band. Even though I never paid dowry, I was the last known man who could have acted as an husband,” he said.

Musicians who thronged the funeral lauded the deceased as an icon in Luo music whose songs helped shaped the industry immensely.

Dola Kabbary, a local musician, said Lady Maureen’s death brought to light calls by musicians to invest in their lives and future by taking their career as a business.

 “We should never blame politicians and people we sing in our songs during hard times, musicians should use their popularity to translate into monetary gain,’ he said.

Last Saturday, July 11 at dawn the musician died while receiving home-based care in a cousin’s home in Uriri sub-county.

Her mother, Margret Atieno said the singer had been discharged from Pastor Machage Hospital, which was the last centre she was in her three-year battle with sickness.

“She was bedridden for the past year, before she departed.  We are still in shock… she was the family pillar,” she said.

Maureen Achieng’ was born on November 22, 1984 at Seme Kombewa village and produced several popular songs, mostly singing about key politicians in the Luo region.

The family said the musician’s predicament started in April 2018 when she was arrested together with 15 band members for performing in Mwanza,Tanzania without a work permit.

The group was sentenced to jail for a year or pay Sh35,000 fine, an amount which was raised by fellow musicians and fans.