For Eric Omondi, trouble is a tweet away

Known for funny renditions of popular songs, comedian Eric Omondi perhaps needs to do a remix of Mbaraka Mwinshehe’s popular song, Shida. 

It would be an ideal song that captures his never-ending troubles. From fights with former Kenya Film Classification Board CEO Ezekiel Mutua over censorship to problematic tweets, Eric is limping from one controversy to another. And he loves it that way.

This week, he hit the headlines when he demanded a DNA test after former TV anchor Jacque Maribe accused him of being a deadbeat father – one who does not provide for his son. The feud between him and Maribe saw reporter Sam Ogina dragged into their fights, something that he now says he regrets.

“I apologise to the media personality who was mentioned in the saga. I admit I panicked and only thought of my career and the repercussions,” he said.

He admits to pulling a myriad of stunts to retain his massive social media following. Unlike the fabled King Midas, who turned everything he touched into gold, the comedian stirs controversy with every word he tweets or utters.

In an online interview on Bonga na Jalas, the self-proclaimed president of comedy in Africa revealed that he only creates conversations. 

“This is a very deep and important conversation, and I want to talk to Kenyans. Women are very powerful. Anything that touches women and children becomes very sensitive. It has destroyed careers and people. All a woman needs to do is scream and help will be on the way. They are empowered. When I posted a pregnant Miss P, who is a singer, within a very short period my feed had 7k comments, with 6.9k insulting me saying they know Eric Omondi. They knew it was all fake because it’s me.” 

Maribe and Eric later reconciled in a truce negotiated by Bonfire Adventures CEO Simon Kabu.

With more than 3.6 million followers, Eric loves the controversies he swims in. Since the premier of his controversial online show Wife Material, Eric had many run-ins with Dr Mutua. Mutua alleged that young girls were being taken advantage of at Eric’s studios in Lavington, Nairobi.

The spat between the two over the show saw the comedian arrested in March for sharing unauthorised content on his social media pages. The show received mixed reactions due to its explicit content.

In a video clip he shared online in June, his outburst against Dr Mutua left many concerned.

Eric, who was dressed in an Avant-Garde outfit in the video, and appeared to be in a club and seated next to an unidentified man, sternly gave Dr Mutua the last warning, threatening to take some unspecified action against then film classification boss .

In 2018, the comedian was forced to apologise after he shared a video on his Instagram account in which he was naked and encouraged underage children to keep swimming.