'It all began with one line', Papa Shirandula.

'It all began with one line',  Papa Shirandula.

Who exactly is Charles Bukeko?

An actor, director, thespian, singer, a father and husband besides having been a custodian at the University of Nairobi. My story is one that gives hope to thousands of aspiring actors in the country having climbed from the unfathomable levels of deep poverty. In other words, I am one person who came into the industry on the right foot. The fact that I worked with the right people made things easier.

You started off from nothing?

Born in humble family background in Buhalarire, Mumias, Western Kenya, mine is a tough journey that has seen me through ups and downs. The first child in a family of four, I had the responsibility to help my parents Valeria Makokha and Cosmas Wafula take care of my siblings.

Did you attend school?

I went to Jogoo Road Primary School and Upper Hill Secondary. I had a passion for football and had nothing to do with acting.

How did you get into acting?

Upon completing school, I moved to Nairobi’s Uhuru Estate in Eastlands. I would often trek all the way to Kenya National Theatre. Even with the low quality structures then, besides not being sure about payment or being fired, I never gave up on achieving my dream. Dr JPR Ochieng' Odera was my first director in 1998. He gave me a line, which read; “that camera doesn’t have a film” which I read to his satisfaction. I later moved to Phoenix Theatre, where I met Ian Mbugua. He introduced me to James Falkland who was impressed by my work. He trained me for free on theatre basics for three years. The rest is history.

You are one person who has done various projects within and outside Kenya...

Apart from the GOTV advert, I have appeared on big time commercials across the world like Coca-Cola in Indonesia and Vodacom in South Africa. The Coca-Cola advert was shot in 2001. As for South Africa’s Vodacom, I did the first concept in 2008 and the second one in September 15, 2010. In this ad, I portray that a stubborn African dictator who is uncomfortable with the new technology and views it as a threat. The advert was quite popular. This aside, I am the Goodwill Ambassador for South East Asia and has travelled, acted and done concepts for them whenever called upon in countries like China, Malaysia, Japan, Vietnam Indonesia, Singapore, South Africa, Cambodia, Mauritius, Hong Kong and Macau.

Was it easy coming up with the Papa Shirandula concept?

The fact that I had to find a unique concept done in Swahili seemed almost impossible considering that at the time, Kenyans preferred the Mexican soaps that were ruling the airwaves. But despite this, I never gave up on achieving my dream.

Which other roles have you played?

I featured in Fernando Meirelles’s excellent adaptation of John le Carré’s novel The Constant Gardener. I’ve also been in the movie titled Malooned by Bob Nyanja where I played the role of a watchman. It won an award for Best Film at the Zanzibar International Film Festival in 2006. Others are Pambazuka productions at the Kenya National Theatre and Makutano Junction, where I played the role of a cruel, arrogant and corrupt MP Harrison Matata for two years.

Have you won any awards?

Yes, the Kalasha Awards held in 2010 at KICC, during which I was awarded the Best Actor in a TV series while my programme Papa Shirandula won in the Best Comedy category. Other awards included Best Comedy in TV series .

Tell us about your family?

I am married to Beatrice Ebbie Andega with whom we have three children Tony, Charlie and Wendy. She has been the pillar of my life. A faithful, humble and loving companion in life’s journey.

Last word?

I would encourage artistes to be patient, consistent, persistent and do what it takes if they hope to make it. They should always remember that life isn’t about how much money you have, but the difference you make in someone’s life.