Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has mourned the death of popular comedian KK Mwenyewe, who gained fame by mimicking the ex-DP.
Through a statement released on Tuesday, July 15, Gachagua mourned KK, officially known as Zachariah Kariuki, crediting him for his excellent contribution to comedy.
Gachagua, who is currently on a two-month trip to the US, said he was saddened by the young entertainer's death, referring to him as “a content creator par excellence”.
He particularly highlighted how KK's simple humour managed to resonate with many Kenyans from all walks of life.
“I have this morning woken up to the sad demise of Mr. Zachariah Kariuki alias Mr. KK Mwenyewe, a content creator per excellence and inspiration to many,” Gachagua stated.
“Mr. KK, a young, consistent, and resilient young man, used comedy to communicate simple and creative messages to all Kenyans and spoke to our hearts,” he added.
The comedian rose to prominence over his funny skits imitating Gachagua, with Kenyans marvelling at the accuracy with which he portrayed the former DP.
He passed on at the Kiambu Level 5 Hospital on Monday night after a short illness, according to fellow comedian and collaborator Kafengo.
Kariuki's humorous depictions of the former DP had garnered him 1.1 million followers on TikTok and 412,000 more on Facebook. His final skit on both platforms was posted on July 4.
His deadpan humour, often presented in sketches, resonated with many Kenyans as he embodied several other characters that were relatable to average Kenyans.
The then Kisii University student rose to fame in 2022 after posting a hilarious skit imitating Gachagua's reaction to winning the general elections.
To improve his performance, the comedian even changed his appearance to look like politician, complete with an oversized suit and a potbelly.
This landed him several media interviews and subsequently built his social media following, where he branched out to imitate others as well. He even received monetary help from Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja who cleared his fee balance.
