Basking in showbiz glory and courting fame and fortune, our adored celebrities share with Pulsers their humble experiences on their way to the top, as write CAROLINE NYANGA and GEOFFREY KORIO. 

Eko Dydda — Garbage collector

Living in Nairobi’s Mathare slums, Groove Male Artiste of the Year Eko Dydda crawled through sewage pipes to make ends meet.

“It was hard but there was little I could do about my poor background to make ends meet. Getting food and good education was not guaranteed.

“As a garbage collector, a job I did for two years, I used to earn Sh30 per week,” he recalls.

Churchill — Bottle cleaner

Celebrated radio host and comedian Churchill still recalls his Industrial Area paycheck. He used to clean bottles and arrange timber for only Sh115. Back then he lived in a small house with five other people with whom he would split the Sh500 monthly rent. 

Joey Muthengi — Receptionist and Waitress

During her time abroad, the versatile artiste used to be a receptionist and waitress.

“I was a receptionist at an insurance Firm in Washington DC, USA. My main duties involved answering phone calls and keeping the supply room stocked. I did this for about a year and a half. During that time I was also waitressing for a catering company over the weekends.”

Eric Omondi — Mascot boy

Top comedian Eric Omondi started as a young entertainer at Kimwa Grand in Kisumu. His duties included face painting, acrobatics and being a mascot.

Brenda Wairimu — Dental    Assistant

Before she stormed our TVs, Brenda Wairimu was a dental assistant, a job she got before joining campus.

“I was a dental assistant for a dentist at Lonrho House, Nairobi, in 2008. I did it for half a year.”  

Pierra Makena wa Kisulisuli

It was not a walk in the park for this celebrity actress and media personality.

“I started as an actress on KBC’s Kisulisuli show, just after my KCSE exams. While in collage, I hustled to get jobs. I was a cable girl in many event projects, most of which I was never paid.”

Jalang’o — Fish handler

Popular radio personality and comedian started off at a fish factory in Homa Bay. He offloaded fish fillet and kept records, which earned him about Sh120 a day in 2002.

He moved to Nairobi and became a manual labourer at Wrigley’s in Industrial Area as well as a construction worker.

Nini Wacera — Mandazi girl

The prolific radio presenter sold mandazis within Nairobi to make ends meet.

Anto Neosoul — Hawker

The talented Anto Neosoul used to buy and sell clothes.

“Before I was Anto Neosoul, I used to buy kids clothes from Gikomba and sell them 20 times their value in Donholm.”

Anne Kiguta — Youth      Radio Host

KTN’s top-notch TV anchor Anne Kiguta started fending for herself at age 18.

“I was straight out of my A levels and it seemed pretty clear I wasn’t going to study Law in the United Kingdom; something I was really set on at the time. I decided to take a break and think about what I wanted to do. It was at this time my local church decided to start a radio station.  I was called to audition. There and then I landed my first job as a youth radio show host and producer. My first salary was Sh8,000,”

Octopizzo — Construction worker   

After completing high school in 2006, the hip-hop star begun doing product street promotions in Mombasa before moving to Nairobi. He worked as a construction worker in Githunguri.

DJ Protégé — Errand boy

Spin master DJ Protégé had a job with the Insyder Magazine, where he was an errand boy. This was before pursuing a degree in Eldoret.

Betty Bayo — House help

Her parents were unable to pay her school fees and she was forced to do menial jobs in order to survive and save money to go back to school. She worked as a maid in Kiambu town.

“My first employer (in 2006) paid me Sh70 daily for all the house chores.”

Daddy Owen — City Thug

Before he saw the light, multipleaward winning gospel singer Daddy Owen was among a gang of five known to terrorise residents in Umoja Estate, Nairobi.

In 2001, he almost lost his life when a crowd descended on him after his attempt to pickpocket.

“It all happened in a split second. All I remember was lying down surrounded by a huge crowd who beat me up mercilessly.”

Tatuu  — Club dancers

Debbie and Rabbo first met at Phoenix Players where they became fast friends. They did small acting roles.

They also frequented Club Psys in Langata where they would get paid for dancing and later became part of Nameless’ dance troupe called Rada.

Wakimbizi duo — Milk vendor and waiter

Mariko was a milk vendor for Brookside Company, while his brother Filter worked as a waiter in Dana Pani Restaurant, Parklands.

“We didn’t mind the jobs because we learnt a lot from that humble beginning,” they say.

To date, they have four music albums.

Jaguar – matatu tout

Award winning Kigeugeu singer Jaguar worked as a matatu tout on Nairobi city routes. The little money he made enabled him pay school fees.

 Ringtone – street urchin

Gospel singer Ringtone was a street urchin before his music breakthrough. He hustled; shining shoes, selling mitumba clothes, washing cars, selling scrap metal and groundnuts at the Shauri Moyo estate.

“During my days in the streets, I often dreamt of owning good things at some point in life.”

DJ Pinye – toilet cleaner

From cleaning toilets in London to becoming a pioneer of Kenya’s elite DJ, Pinye can claim to have seen it all. He worked at McDonalds, Home Stores and other establishments in London as a cleaner.

Others

Omosh of Tahidi High used to load garbage on trucks while Mongolo used to be a waiter, Solo a matatu driver and Maina Kageni was a delivery boy.