Chibambe let down?: Jemutai deactivates Facebook page after flopped Eldoret show
This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.
- Comedian Jemutai held her 11th anniversary event at Central Primary School in Eldoret, but the show drew far fewer people than she had anticipated
- Jemutai called out Rift Valley politicians for promising support and failing to show up, posting a statement before pulling it down and deactivating her page
- Before going offline, she appealed to fans to contribute any amount to help clear outstanding bills owed to service providers
Comedian Jemutai found herself in a difficult position after her much-anticipated anniversary show in Eldoret fell short of expectations, leading her to speak out publicly before disappearing from Facebook entirely.
The event, held on Sunday, August 16 at Central Primary School in Eldoret, was organised to mark 11 years in the industry for the comedian, who is widely recognised as the first Kalenjin female stand-up comedian to make her name on the Churchill Show.
Why did Jemutai deactivate Facebook page?
The turnout, however, was not what she had hoped for.
In a now-deleted statement posted before she deactivated her Facebook account, Jemutai directed her frustration squarely at politicians from the Rift Valley region, accusing them of making promises they had no intention of keeping.
"To all the politicians who promised to support me but, like many times before, disappointed me — Rift Valley politicians wako na favourites, nimekubali," she wrote in the statement, which was shared widely before she took it down.
Despite the setback, Jemutai acknowledged the role her fans had played in getting her to where she is today.
She then turned to her supporters with a direct plea, asking them to chip in whatever they could to help settle the amounts owed to service providers who had worked the event.
"Kindly, hata kama ni 5 bob, 10 bob — let's come together and help us clear the service providers ambao wanatimaliza. Come through one last time. Tufunge hii comedy chapter in style, bila deni, then tuanze mambo mengine," she wrote.
The incident drew a mixed reaction from followers before Jemutai went offline. Some expressed sympathy, while others were more candid in their assessment.
Patience Dali:
"It's okay to do shows and go work a regular job. It's okay to have 2 sources of income."
Qaptain Kelvin Arap Bet:
"She definitely did that out of anger. It's not the politicians that brought her on stage."
Tyson Kiptui:
"Let us support her."
Langat Ben:
"She has not been attending other people's events, and she expects others to follow her?"
Jemutai built her reputation through years of performing on the Churchill Show, Kenya's most prominent comedy platform, and has been a recognisable face in the local entertainment scene for over a decade.
Whether her reference to closing a chapter signals a permanent shift or simply reflects the frustration of a difficult evening remains to be seen.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.