Collins Omondi Okello — the gifted Kisumu artist behind the now-viral orange-hued tribute to Raila Odinga — is speaking out after his deeply personal artwork was widely used for commercial gain, often without credit or permission.
On October 18, Collins took to Facebook to share his heartbreak, lamenting that businesses have cropped out his watermark and profited off what he intended as a pure and heartfelt homage to a man he calls “larger than life.”
“Most of us couldn’t even fathom the day of his passing. Raila shaped our democracy. This was never for commercial purposes,” he wrote.
The emotional piece, shared widely during Kenya’s national mourning, was never meant to be merchandise — even the few T-shirts Collins made were in response to overwhelming public demand.
“It’s disheartening,” he added, “but this is the sad reality for many creatives. Our work gets taken, altered, and erased — without so much as a name.”
Despite the injustice, Collins is not asking for much — just acknowledgment. He’s urging Kenyans and businesses to retain his watermark, credit the artist, and, if moved, support him via M-Pesa as a gesture of appreciation.
A self-taught pencil and digital artist, Collins first gained national attention in 2015 when Raila himself flew him to Nairobi for a personal presentation of one of his earlier portraits.
“Meeting him was an honor. That alone was payment enough,” he recalls.
Since then, Collins has produced several iconic portraits of the late Prime Minister — some commissioned, others inspired by admiration.
Today, one of those portraits has become a symbol of grief, remembrance, and now, a call for respecting the hands behind the art.
