Veteran Kenyan thespian, writer and university lecturer David Mulwa, who died on Friday evening at 80 after a long illness, has been mourned as one of the greatest artists to come from the country.
Mulwa is renowned for his exploits on stage as well as on screen. He was also a prolific writer and his books have been studied in schools and colleges as set books.
Janet Mulwa, his widow told the Daily Nation that the actor suffered a cardiac arrest and died at a Nairobi hospital where he was being treated. He had battled kidney disease and has been undergoing dialysis for years. She appealed for financial assistance to offset his medical bill that has risen to Sh2.5 million.
Some of his famous books include Inheritance, Clean Hands , Redemption , Master and Servant , Daraja , Bahati’s Love Nest and We Come in Peace .
In film, he featured in To Walk With Lions , a story based on the life of conservationist George Adamson, Eyes of a Witnes s, Makutano Junction , Dangerous Affair and 100 Days .
David Mulwa with his wife Janet Mulwa.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
“I am dumbfounded! What a shock and a loss! Mulwa and I have been like twin brothers since we met at KU (Kenyatta University) in the 70s. At first there were three of us: [Francis] Imbuga, Mulwa, [Austin] Bukenya, calling each other "pirates", with our jokes and our endless pranks. Now I'm left alone, alone. Lonely and desolate!” said Prof Austin Bukenya.
Mulwa has died when Kenyatta University is celebrating the 32nd Culture Week , of which he was the first director of the planning committee. He was later a permanent fixture of the event that celebrates culture through music, dance, exhibitions, and fashion, among other artistic expressions.
Mulwa was Born on April 9, 1945, in Mukaa, Machakos County. He studied English Literature at the University of Nairobi and later the University of California, Los Angeles, for a master’s degree in theatre arts on a Rockefeller Foundation scholarship.
He spent most of his professional career at Kenyatta University where he mentored generations of actors and writers form 1973 until his retirement in 2020.
“We honour the life of David Mulwa, a brilliant thespian, respected writer and dedicated lecturer. He was a man who gave his talent generously to the world, shaping Kenya’s theatre and education with quiet strength and unwavering commitment,” said former Machakos Town MP Dr Victor Munyaka.
