Mulamwah’s Journey to Making His First Million: From University Laughs to YouTube Fame

How a Luhya Accent, Viral Clips, and Relentless Persistence Turned a Nursing Student into One of Kenya’s Top Comedians

In an interview with the Iko Nini podcast, Mulamwah opened up about his journey to wealth, revealing that it was far from an overnight success.

Mulamwah’s comedic path began during his student days at Moi University. At a Christian fellowship meeting, students were called to introduce themselves. When it was his turn, his distinctive Luhya accent sent the audience into uncontrollable laughter. It was in that moment he realized he had a natural gift for comedy.

From then on, Mulamwah became a regular at fellowship meetings, always leaving the audience in stitches. This early experience inspired him to pursue comedy more seriously. Soon, he was performing at stand-up shows, weddings, and other events. His first major break came at renowned gospel musician Emmy Kosgei’s album launch, where he won the crowd over with his humor. The success opened doors for more invitations to perform at events and roadshows.

Eager to expand his career, Mulamwah teamed up with other comedians to organize shows, charging Ksh 50 – 70 for entrance, and gained a growing fanbase. During his fourth year at university, he decided to audition for the Churchill Show. “I would skip all Tuesday classes to attend auditions at Carnivore. Sometimes, I even missed exams. I went for auditions for three years without success,” he recounted.

Embracing the digital era, Mulamwah ventured into YouTube, where his first paycheck was an impressive Ksh 700,000. “When I opened my YouTube channel, I copyrighted my voice. And because my clips already had millions of views on other people’s channels, I was paid for them,” he said.

While working as a nurse intern for one year, Mulamwah’s clips went viral. By this time, he had thousands of followers on social media, establishing him as an influencer. Brand endorsements soon followed. “I worked for so many companies and brands that I couldn’t even keep track of them. I didn’t make my first million; rather, I made my first Ksh 3 million from brand endorsements,” he revealed.

Mulamwah’s story is a testament to persistence, talent, and the power of leveraging digital platforms to build a career in comedy.