Kenyans have rallied behind Raila Odinga Junior after a disturbing wave of TikTok videos emerged mocking his facial appearance, only days after the burial of his late father, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, at Kang'o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo.
Raila Junior, who has openly spoken about living with acoustic neuroma, a rare, non-cancerous tumour that develops on the nerve connecting the inner ear to the brain, has been the target of a cruel online trend.
The videos, which mimic his condition, have drawn widespread outrage and condemnation from Kenyans who have labelled the act insensitive and heartless, especially at a time when the Odinga family is mourning.
Among those who spoke out strongly was musician and entrepreneur Akothee, who didn't mince her words in a fiery Facebook post.
The Onagi singer called on Kenyans to rediscover empathy and basic human decency, "Kenyans, what has become of us? When did we lose empathy, respect, and the basic sense of humanity?" she questioned.
"What I'm seeing on social media today, especially on TikTok, is not content. It's inhumanity, humiliation, and disrespect of the highest order," she added.
Clearly heartbroken, Akothee wondered why people would find humour in someone else's medical condition.
"And to those mocking Raila Junior, what do you gain from another person's pain? Do you not have a life or a sense of conscience left in you? This is not content creation; this is cyberbullying and public shaming disguised as jokes. As a mother, I am deeply disturbed. This is not who we are. We must be better," Akothee noted.
Akothee went on to urge Kenyans to take action by reporting the offending accounts, insisting that cruelty should never be normalised in the name of content.
"Let's not normalise cruelty for likes and views," she wrote.
Her sentiments were echoed by Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura, who also took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn what he described as a "horrendous" form of body shaming disguised as entertainment.
"It's very wrong to mock someone based on their appearance due to an inherent condition," Mwaura stated.
"It's even worse to create a 'challenge' around it. Such behaviour reflects more on your poor character and upbringing. Let's be human for once."
It's very wrong to mock someone based on their appearance due to an inherent condition. It's even horrendous to create a 'challenge' to body shame.
- Dr. Isaac Mwaura CBS (@MwauraIsaac1) October 21, 2025
Such behaviour reflects more on your poor character and upbringing in the name of content creation.
Let's be human for once. pic.twitter.com/YmsTbnOgFO
Digital content creator Milly Chebby also took a stand, sharing screenshots of the TikTok accounts behind the mockery, sparking an avalanche of reactions from angry Kenyans.
Many social media users flooded her comment section, slamming the content creators and demanding accountability.
Some of those exposed were forced to deactivate their accounts amid the backlash.
Kevin Maskari wrote, "Where did humanity go? That cybercrime law should curb this mess. I know Raila Odinga Jr is seeing this, na si poa kabisa."
Nancy Kibii warned, "Don't laugh at anyone's disability, ipo siku itakurudia."
The incident has reignited a national conversation about cyberbullying, compassion, and the dangers of chasing online fame at the expense of others' dignity.
As one comment on Milly Chebby's post aptly put it, "Being human is free. Try it."