In the quiet, pastoral setting of her village, Kishaunet, West Pokot County, Jemimah Chebor’s voice echoes with confidence as she records TikTok videos that capture the simplicity of rural life.
Yet, when you meet her in person, the boldness you hear and see online is replaced by a shy, soft-spoken 24-year-old.
Despite this, Chebor has become a sensation on TikTok, with her videos surpassing millions of views, making her one of Kenya’s most popular online personalities.
Most of her videos are of a typical village girl who is so naive.
She has over 100,000 followers on TikTok and 2.3 million likes.
Chebor uses her mother tongue's accent, something that entices her followers.
But how did this humble girl from West Pokot County achieve such viral fame?
In an exclusive interview with Nation.africa, Chebor, a recent graduate from Lukenya University, opens up about her unexpected rise to stardom and the challenges that come with it.
Currently residing in Lang’ata, Nairobi, where she is staying with a relative after completing her studies, Chebor is at a crossroads.
Though she holds a degree in education, a path she says was chosen by her parents, her heart is set on something else: journalism, driven by a desire to meet her mentor, comedian Churchill Ndambuki.
Growing up as the lastborn of four in a family of farmers, Chebor says she led a modest life.
She attended TarTar Girls, a national school in West Pokot, before moving on to Lukenya University, where she pursued a degree in Mathematics and Chemistry.
The transition from her village to the bustling city of Nairobi was not so friendly, she says.
“There is so much pressure when you come to the city as a village girl. You meet different people who look different and do things differently,” she recalls.
“Some are into the life of partying all weekends. As a young girl, you also join them but without forgetting your background. University life changed my mentality and thinking. I am now more exposed and grown.”
Despite these challenges, Chebor says she found solace in her studies, motivated by a strong desire to help her family back home.
“My mum was my driving force when I was in the university. I always wanted to focus on my education so that I could help my family later in life.”
In 2022, Chebor says she turned to TikTok as a way to keep busy and avoid negative influences while at university.
Her early videos received little attention, but she persevered, eventually striking gold with content that showcased her Kalenjin accent and humorous takes on village life.
“My first videos were getting even two likes, but I could not stop. I then started doing videos in my Kalenjin accent, just explaining to people how some Pokot words are related to some English words,” she says.
“One of my videos went viral, and the views and likes started growing,” she says.
However, the journey has not been easy.
“People think you’re a millionaire because you have a huge following, but the reality is different. I haven’t earned much from TikTok, and the biggest challenge is dealing with discouragement from others.”
Despite the setbacks, Chebor says she has remained true to her passion for creating content.
“Some people even told me that people who make money from the app are those who are in media spaces and not people who are doing education like me.
I did not give up, but also I did not put my focus on making money. I would have given up if it was about money."
She is known for her “Kienyeji girls” videos, where she blends some humour with relatable insights into rural life.
"I’ve always been known to be quite funny, even my friends in school told me that," she shares.
But with popularity comes negativity.
Chebor admits to handling criticism by ignoring and deleting negative comments, focusing instead on the positive feedback from her fans.
“There was a time when a follower told me that I was too tough to use the normal pads. 'Wewe haukai normal, unafaa kutumia mfuko wa simiti as pads'. I blocked him.”
Looking ahead, Chebor dreams of becoming one of Kenya’s biggest comedians, possibly even working with Churchill, a goal she says she has been striving towards for years.
“I want to become one of the biggest comedians in Kenya, maybe even working with Churchill’s show. That has been my dream,” she says.
“When I heard that Churchill's show was coming back, I even wrote him an e-mail. I am hopeful he will see it. I admire the people watching me on the show. I told my mother that one day I would be on the radio, but she insisted on me doing an education course. I want to go back to school and pursue my dream career, journalism. Churchill has been my biggest inspiration, and we have watched his life, and I admire him so much."
Despite her growing fame, Chebor remains grounded, often returning to her village to find inspiration for her content.
“Content comes even at night. The moment I get an idea, I shoot immediately, and if I am not able to record at that time, I make sure I write it down. Most content comes when I am in the village. My parents know I’m famous, but I hide some of my videos from them,” she admits with a laugh.
Is she dating?
When it comes to love, Chebor says she is a bit cautious after a recent heartbreak.
She says she’s focused on finding a man who shares her vision and isn’t consumed by social media.
“I’ve experienced character development severally. I was dumped in January, but I’ve healed. Relationships come and go, some to teach us lessons and others to make us strong. In my case, I have learnt my lesson,” she said.
Her experience with dating has not been smooth.
“There was a time I dated a mama’s boy, and he was depending fully on his mother. I also don't want a man whose work is just online. I want a busy career, man."
Her advice to aspiring content creators:
“Follow your dreams and your passion. Don’t do it for the money or the fame, let those find you, as you’re already in it,” she said.
