Hollywood star Lupita Nyong'o excites hometown with surprise visit

Hollywood actress and Oscar award winner Lupita Nyong’o made a surprise visit to Kisumu Saturday, throwing the lake side town into a spin.

Lupita, accompanied by aides and a group of investors, flew to the lakeside town under a cloud of secrecy and caught town residents off-guard.

She was also accompanied by County Executive Committee members Achie Alai (Tourism), Salmon Orimba (Environment), Alice Moraa (Trade), Dickson Odhiambo (Urban Planning), County Tourism Director Thomas Ouko and Comedian Jalang’o among others.

Lupita met her father - Kisumu Governor Prof Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o - at a closed-door meeting with a group people the Sunday Standard learnt were investors keen on supporting Kenyan artists. And Saturday, only a selected click of family members and county officials accompanied Lupita as she snaked her way into the city.

The media was blocked by her private security from taking photos or interviewing the star.

At least 15 county government vehicles were in the convoy that took the movie star around town, with hawk-eyed security details ensuring that no one invaded her space.

A source said Lupita’s public engagements are only approved by her director, hence the need to block journalists and the public from interviewing or taking pictures of her.

Even Prof Nyong’os communication team that was allowed to take pictures was warned against sharing them with the media without Lupita’s approval. The actress was later joined by other county government officials for a visit to talent centres within the city. At the Goan Institute, a group of artists said they were only expecting county officials but were left in awe when the star visited their dusty training room.

Dressed in a dotted light blue dress, Lupita joined the dancers, and directed a few questions to them about their art.

Diana Gaya, one of the dancers said they were not aware Lupita would be among people who were to visit.

Great honour

“It is a great honour,” she said, choosing not to divulge much. The star then proceeded to Kisumu Museum, where only a few people were allowed in. It was unclear the duration of Lupita’s visit though a source said she was due to fly back to Nairobi last evening.

The visit comes barely three months after her popular movie - Black Panther premiered in Kisumu. This was Lupita’s second visit to Kisumu since she won the coveted award.

She was at her rural home in Seme constituency years back when she did a photo shoot for the prestigious Vogue magazine.

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