Vioja Mahakamani veteran actress, Lucy Wangui Gichomo, pleaded with President William Ruto on behalf of all legendary artistes in the creative industry.
Speaking during an interview with NTV on Saturday, January 28, Wangui, who acted as a judge in Vioja Mahakamani stated that the current government does not recognize them while they played a greater part in nurturing talent.
She noted that the upcoming artistes in the industry are recognized unlike old ones while they have mentored most of them like top comedian Daniel Ndambuki of Churchill Show.
“We have mentored a lot of people in this industry. Someone like Churchill passed through our hands before beginning his show, but it is sad that he is more recognized in the nation than us.
The only president who recognized us most was the late Daniel Moi who would even call us in the wee hours to accompany him on his tours all over the country,” she noted.
Wangui asked Ruto to invite all the legendary artistes to entertain him as Moi would do explaining how their work is taken as a joke.
“Ruto should try us, we will make him laugh like he has never laughed before. Whoever organizes entertainers for him should remember,r that we are part of Kenyans too. It is sad that most of the artistes die poor like Mzee Makanyaga.
We want to go to higher heights. We don’t want to leave our kids behind in a poor state. We also want to be part of entertainers during public holidays graced by the president,” she pleaded.
Revisiting her colleague, Gibson Gathu Mbugua’s death, who had left behind a huge hospital bill, Wangui explained that it's only former president Uhuru Kenyatta who came to his aid.
“We are yet to see the nation’s help. If we could have received any, I couldn't be here complaining. After the prosecutor died, we are the ones who came to his aid, friends and former president Uhuru,” she noted.
Commenting on presidential commendations, the actress expounded that most veteran artistes were awarded only during Moi’s tenure.
“I was awarded head of state commendation, most of us were awarded during Moi's tenure,” she announced.
After the 2017 Labour day celebration, Uhuru celebrated the whole of the Vitimbi crew at a rare luncheon at the Sarova Stanley Hotel. He promised to follow up their discussions with a subsequent meeting to have the issues they presented addressed.
In 2018, Mary Kavere, popularly known as Mama Kayai, who also is a Vitimbi veteran actress was honored with the Grand Warrior Award.
Capital FM talk show host John Sibi Okumu, a journalist and actor, received a Head of State Commendation from President William Ruto. He was also one of those honored at the Kenya Theatre Awards held at the Kenya National Theatre Inaugural Kenya Theatre Awards.
