The beloved classic of Kenyan television shows, Makutano Junction, is getting a fresh new chapter through a spin-off dubbed Maisha Makutano.
Nearly two decades after the premiere of Makutano Junction, the spin-off picked up the baton through some complex characters and timely social themes.
The new series is produced by the same team behind the original Makutano Junction, Shamba Shape-Up and other Kenyan productions. The 13-part series premiered on September 6 on Citizen TV.
With a commitment to realism, the series is rooted in thorough research and will explore community life, family dynamics and contemporary social issues with authenticity.
One key difference between the spin-off and its predecessor is that Maisha Makutano is designed to entertain and inspire, rather than simply entertaining.
Maisha Makutano Cast
This show is full of powerhouse names and actors who have seen the art grow over the last two decades. They include veterans like Naomi Kamau, Philip Luswata and Marianne Nungo.
Philip Luswata
This is a Ugandan powerhouse who has been around the acting scene for a while, and brings layered grit to Chairman Matano, the scheming SACCO boss in Maisha Makutano.
A trained dramatist with a Master’s in Communication from Leeds University, Luswata co-created and starred in the original Makutano Junction.
He played a memorable role in Disney’s Queen of Katwe and helped shape Uganda’s hit series Mpeke Town and The Honourables.
Marianne Nungo
A Kalasha Awards nominee for Best Lead Actress (Last Supper, 2022), Nungo has impressed in the acclaimed Kenyan drama Supa Modo and the forward-looking film Nawi: Dear Future Me (2024).
In Maisha Makutano, she plays chemist-activist Dorothy Mwamburi.
Her ability to flip from warm empathy to razor-sharp confrontation promises to make Dorothy one of the show’s most watchable agitators.
Naomi Kamau
Veteran Kenyan actress, scriptwriter, and producer Naomi Kamau is one of the undisputed architects of local television drama.
She’s best known for her long-running role as Alison in Mother-in-Law, where she plays the sharp-tongued daughter-in-law who helped turn the Citizen TV series into a pop-culture staple.
Kamau’s creative fingerprints stretch far beyond acting. According to IMDb, she’s credited as both performer and writer on the original Makutano Junction (2007) and appeared in the early Kenyan feature Dangerous Affair (2002).
Behind the camera, she has scripted or produced some of the country’s biggest TV hits, including Tahidi High, Machachari, and Shamba Shape-Up.
Entertainment clearly runs in the family. Naomi’s brother is Joseph Kinuthia, better known as Omosh, a household name for his comedic and dramatic turns on Tahidi High.
In the new Maisha Makutano, Kamua takes on the role of Immaculate Ambani, a conservative nurse who is at odds with modern views on youth reproductive health.
Among the new faces in the spin-off is Michelle Tire, who plays Esther Kabando, a proud salon owner trying to rebuild her life after making a return to Makutano with her two daughters and disgraced husband.
Carol Midimo makes a return to the screen as Margaret, a loyal wife caught in a moral dilemma after her husband is embroiled in a SACCO scandal. Georgina Lenny is also part of the cast, playing Achile Akoth, a determined single mother who runs a village daycare.
Another veteran, Tonny Njuguna, also makes an appearance as Dr Charles, a compassionate doctor who battles between love, progressive ideals and his medical duties.
Two other big names in the spin-off are Bruce Makau, who plays William "KJ Kabando (a former banker navigating a rocky marriage).
The original Makutano Junction premiered nearly two decades ago and became a staple on screens across East Africa with an estimated six million viewers.
Set in a fictional rural town, the show blended education with entertainment and had some of Kenya's most celebrated names in film, including Raymond Ofula, Charles Ouda (the late), Lizz Njagah, Ainea Ojiambo, Patricia Kihoro, Melvin Alusa, Caroline Midimo, and Naomi Kamau.
