Dr Timothy Kitui: I was a street boy with a degree

Pst Timothy Kitui. (Courtesy)

Litungu Gospel vibes maestro Pst Timothy Kitui recently added a remarkable achievement to his name after surpassing 100,000 subscribers mark on YouTube. He becomes the first Luhya musician to reach this mark.

With 104 videos, Pst Kitui’s channel is also among the most viewed channels with over 22.5 million views. Taking to his Facebook account, he shared a message of gratitude saying, “We did it! This incredible milestone wouldn’t have been possible without each and every one of you,” he says.

The multiple Groove Awards winner has in the past made very risky moves for the sake of his music. He quit his high paying job as a lecturer to do traditional music. 

He does not only perform in churches, he also performs in bars and clubs. When asked why he performs in clubs, he said, “the go ye message is not for the church but for the world. If they don’t come to us, we will go to them,” he added.

The high flying pastor came to Nairobi as a rookie. 

“Having tried to run a college in Kericho and failed terribly, I was in and out of the police and lawyers’ offices over unpaid debts. During one of my summon’s to Kericho police station, a female officer asked me, “Why are you afraid of going to the city and fight like other men until you make it? This statement rung bell in my mind.” he explains.

He decided to go to the city. “All I had was faith. I called a few friends, people that we served in missions together. People that had promised me that anytime I decided to move to the city, they would welcome and support me till I settle,” he says.

To his surprise, only one friend gave him Sh500. After arriving in Nairobi, all the friends who had promised to host me, vanished. “Despite having a degree, i faced homelessness and did odd jobs.”

His turning point came when a printing company hired him for manual labor. There, he impressed his employer, eventually becoming an examiner. A friend offered him a place to stay, and his qualifications landed him part-time teaching jobs at universities.