Veteran Kenyan producer Bruce Odhiambo dies

Odhiambo, who was a former chairperson of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF), passed away in Nairobi Hospital's ICU.

Tributes and condolences poured in on social media after news of his death were made public. 

“I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of my friend Bruce Odhiambo following his death," a tweet from the official account of President Uhuru Kenyatta said. "Bruce shared his God-given talents through philanthropy and many benefited from his generosity. May God give his family the strength to bear this loss.”

Musician Gabu tweeted: “You opened doors for me, took me under your arms and mentored me. You have been there for me in all my situations. I was young and stupid but you still believed in me. Every time I came to your house you would make sure I had the best meal and drink. You inspired me to become who I am now.”

Odhiambo began his career in the mid-1980s after relocating from Nairobi to Mombasa, where he played guitar and bass with Safari Sound Band and The Spartans. In 1988, he set up the Johari Cleff recording studio in Nairobi.

During his career he worked with well-known African musicians such as Tanzania’s Les Wanyika, Congolese musicians Kofi Olomide and Awilo Longomba and Kenya’s Five Alive, Mercy Myra, Jah Key Malley, K-South, Kayamba Afrika, Kanji Mbugua and Redsan, among many others.

Odhiambo always acknowledged his production skills and took a mentorship role in the East African music industry. “Even when artists record their music elsewhere, they come to me for advice. I always feel privileged to mentor young artists,” he told the Daily Nation in 2014.

In 2016, Odhiambo, a close friend and ally of Kenyatta, was accused of defrauding the YEDF of 180 million Kenyan shillings ($1.8m). A parliamentary report implicated Odhiambo in masterminding the theft of the money, most of which was used to purchase luxury homes, pay debts and line the pockets of powerful individuals, law firms and companies, Business Daily reported in 2016.

In October last year, he travelled to India to replace his pacemaker. Upon his return to Kenyan in November, he developed complications and was subsequently rushed to Nairobi Hospital on Christmas Day, according to local media.

“He developed lots of complications after he returned in November. The body reacted to the new medication he was given and he got blisters on his hands and legs, which became septic,” a source close to Odhiambo told eDaily.

“On Saturday morning 4am, he suffered a massive cardiac arrest and he had to be put on full life support. His family had to be called in for counselling and prayers too, but this morning his blood pressure fell further to a low of 54 and the family was called in again.”