On the night of Friday, May 30, Kenyan actress and comedian Jacky Vike, popularly known as Awinja, sat down for a raw and heartfelt conversation with TV47’s Betty Kyallo. What started as a lighthearted chat soon turned emotional as Awinja opened up about a deeply personal and painful chapter of her life, the tragic loss of her younger brother.
Awinja, who rose to national fame through the beloved local TV show Papa Shirandula, revealed that her brother was shot dead, a life cut short not by his own actions, but by the company he kept.
“My brother, for instance, was killed because of alleged association with thugs. The people he was hanging around with, the fact that if you are a thug, you get chicks easily, or probably when you hover or hang around thugs,” Awinja shared, her voice steady but heavy with memory.
The pain of his death in 2011, when he was only 20 years old, changed her forever. That moment ignited a powerful urge in her not just to grieve, but to escape, to dream bigger, and to create a different life.
“When I lost my brother, I felt like this was not a place for me.”
It was this loss that planted the seeds of her resilience and redirected her journey away from the ghetto and towards the stage.
Chasing Passion Over Expectation
Though grief shaped her spirit, it was passion that lit her path. Awinja recounted how her love for acting began in school drama festivals, where she discovered the joy of performing, a spark that refused to die, even when life pushed her in another direction.
“My mother paid aviation school for me. She wanted me to be an air hostess, but my passion was never there, it’s clear that I was passionate on acting.”
Despite her parents’ hopes for a more conventional career, Awinja followed her heart. She eventually joined the Kenya National Theatre, where she trained, struggled, and eventually emerged as one of the most beloved comedic talents in Kenya.
Awinja, A Mother And Fighter
Now a mother of one, Awinja spoke tenderly about the role that has changed her the most, motherhood. Her son, Mosi, has grounded her, sharpened her focus, and reminded her of how far she’s come.
“My son Mosi means a lot to me as he is my first child,” she said, a soft smile playing on her lips.”
Still, the journey hasn’t been easy. Balancing fame, grief, and parenting took strength and a tribe. Awinja credits her closest friends, like Anthony Tosh and Lawrence, for being her backbone through it all.
“Kina Anthony Tosh, Lawrence na wengine ndio nilikuwa nawaambia kwanza na wamenisupport sana.”
An Icon of Resilience
Awinja’s story is not just one of loss, but of rediscovery, courage, and unwavering belief in one’s dreams. From a painful goodbye in the ghetto to red carpets and comedy stages across Kenya, she’s become more than an entertainer, she’s become a symbol of hope.
Her candid conversation reminded us that behind every laugh she gives us, there’s a woman who has fought to find joy, even when life tried to take it away.
