The Mbuguas were surrounded by weekend outdoor sports, little wonder Wanjiru Mbugua became a Kenyan tennis star, while dad, Bedan Mbugua, was among the few courageous souls voicing their fiery two cents during the single party era. The career media man was the editor of Step, Beyond and later, The People Weekly (now PD), then belonging to opposition firebrand, Kenneth Matiba, for whom he served as special political counsel.
Bedan Mbugua: The holder of a BA in communications from Biola University (where he edited Chimes students magazine), came into public limelight for exposing the massive rigging following the 1988 mlolongo elections which he called a ‘mockery of justice.’ Beyond magazine sold over 100,000 copies in hours that February 1988! Mbugua was arrested. Beyond was banned as international pressure descended on Kenya from The New York Times, Amnesty International and former US president Jimmy Carter. The role of the media as a ‘market of ideas,’ of ventilating issues, of holding the powers-that-be to account were being spearheaded by Bedan Mbugua - who retired from Royal Media Services in 2013. He is now a director at Herbal Garden, an aloe vera products outfit. His talent in tennis ran in his children, most notably, ‘Wanji’ as Muthoni and Kanjii followed different paths.
Wanjiru Mbugua-Karani: Ranked fifth in Africa, this Kenyan international also featured in TV adverts that popularised KCB ATM machines. The communications graduate from Daystar is an International Tennis Federation Level II coach and the secretary general of Kenya Lawn Tennis Association. ‘Wanji’ is also in sports marketing if you remember the ‘Sakata Ball’ soccer mashinani initiative.
Muthoni Mbugua: The law graduate from India’s Poona University found her calling in voluntarism and pursued a nursing degree to that end. She works for the British Army in the UK, dealing with soldiers and their post-traumatic stress.
Kanjii Mbugua: He moved from tennis, basketball to music, which he studied at Biola University and Music Institute in California (piano) and Dallas Sound Lab, USA. With 10 albums under his musical belt, the I am Just Man hitmaker was part of US-based gospel outfit, Milele, before bagging the 2008 Groove Award Male Artist of the Year and the 2009 Best Live Music Performer of the Year as a solo artist. The former Kenya’s Youth Ambassador to the world run Kijiji Entertainment, a music recording and distribution company, with his wife Mwendwa.
