The Churchill Show is arguably one of the most watched TV shows in Kenya today thanks to its ability to crack viewers’ ribs with fine comedy and a host of guests who wow many with their stories. Daniel Ndambuki, aka Churchill, the founder of the show and Kenya’s finest comedian has built a brand for himself from the show, becoming famous like the Winston Churchill speech of 1945.
Yesterday, however, was a different day for the comedian and his show. Instead of the usual acclaim he receieves, Churchill has been on the receiving end of bashes and backlash from irritated Kenyans after the comedian hosted controversial preacher Victor Kanyari.
It was the first time Kanyari appeared in the limelight since the famous expose by KTN’s Moha and Namu. The expose shocked the nation when it was revealed that Kanyari was a rogue preacher who preyed in his unknowing congregants by promising them miracles that never existed.
The country was raged and bayed for the preacher’s blood. Many demanded that he be charged for fraudulently acquiring hard-earned money from innocent congregants. That, to date, has not happened.
As Kanyari made his way to the podium at the Carnivore grounds where the live recording of the show takes place, the crowd under the roof rambled and giggled in excitement. And as expected, Churchill welcomed him with a joke that sent the crowd laughing their ribs out.
Kanyari roared in the building like a hungry lioness exhausted from a day’s unsuccessful hunt. He bragged how he swindles money from the congregants, how he grabbed those breasts of one of his faithful and how he acquired that range rover sport and his wealth despite being a form two drop-out.
The gathering went wild as Churchill and his co-host MC Jessy Jasper complemented his pride with their comedy jokes.
Everybody in the building went wild as they got excited at the preacher’s confessions. Kanyari agreed to swindle money from his faithful and said he has never forced anyone to give him money. He also agreed to grab a married woman’s boob.
It was after the show that Churchill realized he was on the receiving end of severe criticism and scorn from utterly disgusted Kenyans. I mean law abiding Kenyans. Kenyans who have remained so religious and whom Kanyari was trying to swindle into sin.
Among those bashing Churchill include Mbita MP Millie Odhiambo and former radio personality Ciku Muiruri. The two ladies of substance took to their social media platforms to blast the comedian for giving Kanyari a chance to brag how he has stolen from Kenyans. They are not the only ones. Many more Kenyans have expressed their displeasure at the happenings.
Well, Ciku Muiruri is forgetting that infamous lift she got from one of the Arthur brothers to ‘create that famous space’. Millie Mabona is forgetting she is embroiled in corruption scandals and getting an ODM certificate fraudulently to win the Mbita parliamentary seat.
This is the problem with Kenyans. We tend to forget the ills we have committed and stick our necks and noses out to what others do. We are bootlickers who want to please some people at the expense of others even when there is no need.
Look, Churchill had every right to host Kanyari and I have reasons to say this.
First, almost every media house has been on the run to reach out to Kanyari after that expose. Larry Madowo almost landed him in his The Trend show only for the preacher to rescind his decision at the last minute. Madowo and NTV felt so much let down by the rogue preacher. Kanyari to date makes the best news for us all. Landing him for an interview could be the greatest achievement of the day. So why are some people bitter after Churchill managed to land him for his show? It was an achievement that we should all extol.
Secondly, what did we expect from Kanyari after all? An apology? To return the money? Come on Kenyans. Sensible Kenyans expected confessions from the preacher. We expected him to talk about the expose and why he swindled money from innocent congregants. And that is exactly what he did. We did not expect him to say sorry. We know he is proud. Neither did we expect him to return the stolen cash through his Panda Mbegu ya 310 project.
Third, Churchill is a comedian. He knows his work too well. There is no way, believe me, a comedian will wow everyone listening or watching him/her. Every joke comedians make must be opposed from some quarters. The tribal jokes that some of our comedians have used to pay their bills sometimes anger us. But do we rush to the social media to blast Fred Omondi or YY or Sleepy? No. Churchill and some of us knew Kanyari’s appearance would spark mixed reactions from Kenyans who like bootlicking others.
Someone is asking why Churchill and MC Jessy seemed to glorify Kanyari’s actions. Well, at first you would think they were but a keen study and some knowledge on comedy will tell you that Churhcill and MC Jessy have skill and talent for comedy. There was no way they would get answers from Kanyari if they sat there shocked at the preacher’s actions. They had to participate and this was the best way to make the preacher happy and make him vomit his rot even more. They should be lauded for this, surely.
And for the happy crowd who cheered and jeered Kanyari in equal measure? Well, you are a Kenyan, You know what you love most. Those weird things that make little sense are your favourite. You cannot run away from this. This then helps explain why some were happy while others jeered. To drive the point home, ask yourself why even after the expose the same same congregants flock Kanyari’s church for the gospel. Then you have an answer to the last question.
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