Celebrities we would love to read about

Influential, famous and successful, these are some of the celebrities that could create a lot of buzz should they decide to pen an autobiography. JOSEPHINE MOSONGO takes a look at some of the celebrity brands that could turn you into a bookworm.

Caroline Mutoko

She is the queen of radio. End of discussion. With her no-nonsense persona, Caroline Mutoko has reigned over the radio airwaves for more than a decade. Beginning her radio career at Capital FM as a presenter and marketing manager and later moving to Kiss 100 where she has remained a permanent fixture to date.

She has successfully hosted The Big Breakfast show alongside comedians like Walter Monga’re and Jalang’o. She now hosts the show with Linda Nyangweso and stand-up comedian Vinny Chipukeezy.

As an iconic figure to so many impressionable youths, her admirable work ethic and go-getter attitude is something so many people, not only the youth, could learn from.

This determined and hard working woman who challenges women to rise above the “average attitude” would be a hit author if she ever decided to pen a book on her life or just to impart some well-deserved words of wisdom to the young female generation who want to take the easy way out to success.

Maina Kageni

So much has been said about this super popular Classic 105 radio presenter, rumour mills have churned story after story about him but he has taken it all in stride and held his head up.

Eloquent, charming, and with a job he clearly loves, Maina Kageni rules the airwaves every morning with perhaps too scandalous topics, which have earned the station the occasional backlash.

With a huge following and a large fan base that consists largely of ladies, Maina’s book, if he were to publish any, would sell like hot cake.

He could use the opportunity to address the rumours about his sexuality, how he rose from being a truck driver in the US to the multimillionaire he now is or just give his personal opinion on marriage, Maina would not go wrong at all.

Papa Shirandula

Charles Bukeko, a pioneer actor, has owned the character Papa and  successfully made the Papa Shirandula show a must watch.

Starting out when the acting industry was still very green and actors got paid peanuts; Bukeko struggled his way up the acting ladder. However, he has since transcended the local scene and grown into an internationally acclaimed actor.

His 2007 Coca Cola “Brrr” campaign made him an even bigger star globally but his fame and adoration at home is still larger than life. We all love a rags-to-riches story and if Bukeko were to open up, he would be a hit.

Reddykyulas

What if we never had this crazy trio back then to entertain us, we might never have had the likes of Mdomo Baggy, Kajairo, Eric Omondi or even Churchill.

Reddykyulas, made up of three young and talented individuals, was Kenya’s best comedy show ever; one that everyone would certainly never want to miss. Thanks to them we now have a new breed of comedians that are trying to be half as funny and creative.

Nyambane (Walter Monga’re), KJ (John Kiarie) and Tony Njuguna were the epitome of comedic brilliance and went somewhere even eagles dared not to fly, poking fun at then president Daniel Arap Moi.

All grown up now and in different career paths, this trio should write a book and share the secret as to how they got a whole nation wrapped around their little fingers and the kind of pressure they were in when they took on the president and his right hand man JJ Kamotho. They could also teach a few of the current entertainers that a single joke does not make them fully fledged comedians.

Ojwang’

For 30 years and counting, Benson Wanjau popularly known as Mzee Ojwang’ Hatari has had a long and inspiring career through the popular Vitimbi sitcom.

Comedians have come and gone, some too soon, but Ojwang, in his tiny frame, has by and large remained a big part of the local comedy scene. His successful career is quite enviable to many who would wish to remain relevant for as long as he has.

Mzee Ojwang’s career has literally taken him places around the world on tours to entertain his fans, he still gets invited to state functions with his Vitimbi crew to liven up things a bit.

As a long standing and seasoned comedian, writing a book would be a great idea and of great value to those who would wish to learn how to make a mark and retain such a big name, and even better if he divulges why we still find his signature shriek funny.

Mama Kayai

Famous for being Mzee Ojwang’s wife on Vitimbi, Mama Kayai (Mary Khavere) has been an actress for decades in one of the longest running television shows that has made them the most recognisable screen couple that people still find it hard that they are not an item in real life.

Always the voice of reason in the shenanigans that make Vitimbi such a loveable show, Mama Kayai’s onscreen motherly and stern persona has graced our televisions for so long making her one of the best mother figures.

Mama Kayai made her screen debut in 1980 in the series Darubini where they first met with Mzee Ojwang. Darubini was later replaced by Vitimbi in 1985. With a long standing acting career like hers, she could teach the women folk by way of a book a thing or two about patience and throw in a few tips on how to handle problematic “Mzee Ojwangs” in real life.

Catherine Kasavuli

Catherine Kasavuli started her career at KBC when it was the only local television station we had. After dropping off the grid for a while she resurfaced and took KTN by storm and finally made the move to Citizen Television where she remained as timeless as ever.

The beautiful Kasavuli has had decades of experience as a successful news anchor and has inspired generations of news presenters and outlived many as well.

One might say she was way ahead of her time. Now retired from the screen on which she put in many years of hard work into becoming a remarkable news reader, she has left a legacy that only a few individuals could try and match.

And with the sort of time tested career she has had on television, a book by her would be a gold mine especially to young women who seek to fill her shoes and have a brilliant career in the media while also addressing some of those pertinent 90s rumours about her personal life.

Julie Gichuru

Undoubtedly one of the most successful female news anchors and influential media personalities in Africa, Julie Gichuru started her journalism career in 2001 at Capital FM but later moved to NTV and finally Citizen TV where she helped come up with the idea for the news show Sunday Live, which redefined the style of news delivery.

She is behind a number of notable television shows like Fist to Five for Change, The Inside Story and Voices of Reason. She is also a brand ambassador for many initiatives and charitable causes in the country some of which include The African Leadership Dialogues and the Natembea and Dettol campaigns.Smart, accomplished and fashionable to boot are just a few reasons that Julie Gichuru should write a book, and if her success is anything to go by, nobody would put it down until the last page.

Chris Kirubi

The only phrase that first comes to mind when talking about this mega tycoon is business savvy. The industrialist, who goes by the showbiz name of DJ CK, is the face of success to young people who like how he combines business and fun.

He owns a number of companies including Capital FM, one of the most popular radio stations in the country, a stake in Haco Tiger Industries and a major shareholder of Centum Investment Company.

Kirubi started building his fortune in the 1970’s by acquiring run-down commercial and residential properties and later renovating and selling them at a profit.

With all this success he surely must have done something right, and writing a book to share some of his secrets would not be such a bad idea.

Mike Sonko

If ever there was a controversial political leader that made news every so often for the wrong reasons and still remained popular with the electorate, it would be Mbuvi Gidion Kioko Mike Sonko or simply Sonko.

The former Makadara MP and Nairobi senator, who donates his entire salary to the needy, has twice proven that he does not need to be an uptight and stuffy leader in a suit to be elected into office.

Sonko has been kicked out of Parliament for his choice of wardrobe, has been on the news for having a questionable design for a phone, punching walls and most recently, being involved in scuffles in bars.

He, however, always comes out on top and just for these two reasons; he has a direct line to the president and his life effortlessly seems like a breeze, he should write a book.