As the Supreme Court gets ready to sift through a mountain of evidence to determine the winner of the August 9 presidential election, some celebrities are already getting used to their newly elevated positions.

The pride of place belongs to Phelix Odiwuor, who is better known as comedian Jalang’o. He is the brand new MP for Lang’ata in Nairobi, that used to be part of the larger constituency that was represented in Parliament by Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga.

It was split into two, the other being Kibra, whose new MP is Mwalimu Peter Ochieng Orero, He is a former Dagoretti High School principal.

Should Raila win his election petition against President-elect William Ruto, Jalang’o will enjoy a more elevated position as the MP of the cosmopolitan city constituency. Jalang’o amassed 38,948 votes, ousting Nixon Korir, who polled 36,836 votes.

It has been a meteoric rise for Jalang’o, who got his first break when he joined the then-popular Citizen TV comedy show, Papa Shirandula. The founder of the show, Charles Bukeko alias Papa Shirandula, who played the hilarious character of a security guard in the city, would have been extremely thrilled had he been alive today. The late Bukeko nurtured many acting talents in his heyday, and his death about two years ago was a huge blow to the comic industry.

Jalang’o honed his skills as an actor and comedian and naturally became a popular master of ceremonies at private and corporate events, raking in good money. He was also a reputable radio presenter, his last station having been Kiss 100, where he teamed up with lawyer Kamene Goro.

He would also later become a common face in TV commercials and has been living in opulence before his latest elevation to a “Mheshimiwa” (honourable MP). It will be interesting to see how he will continue to juggle the serious business of running his constituency and debating in the National Assembly with continuing the jocular side that has brought him to where he is today.

A proud Jalang’o told an interviewer: “Lang’ata has always been the creative hub of Nairobi and Kenya as a whole. E-Sir was from Nairobi South ‘C’, Wyre, Nameless and Nazizi.”

John Kiarie

Jalang’o joins another celebrity-turned politician, John Kiarie, who retained his Dagoretti South parliamentary seat. Popularly known as KJ, he garnered 26,394, votes, easily locking out his long-time political rival, Dennis Waweru, who managed 22,773 votes,

KJ made his name as part of the Redykyulass show that specialised in political comedy, mostly satirising Presidents Daniel arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki. It was started in the early 2000s as the brainchild of two Kenyatta University students, John Kiarie and Walter Mong’are, popularly known as Nyambane. They teamed up with then university staffer Tony Njuguna.

Not so lucky in the just-ended elections was musician Bahati (Kevin Kioko), the composer of the Mama hit song, who fell by the wayside in his attempt to wrest the Mathare parliamentary seat from the ODM party incumbent, lawyer Anthony Oluoch.

He vied on a Jubilee ticket, having rebuffed requests by none other than Raila to step down for Oluoch. The presidential candidate had promised him that he would be given a government job if he won the big job.

Eko Dydda

While Bahati flopped in Mathare, gospel rapper Eko Dydda became a new Member of the Nairobi County Assembly in the same constituency. Eko will represent Mathare North.

He said, savouring his victory: “I’ve always been a leader in my community, engaging fellow young people and assisting them to solve their problems. They encouraged me to vie from 2010, and here I am.”

The first-born in a family of four says life was not easy for him and his siblings, coming from a dirt-poor family in a shack in the vast Mathare slums.

Davidson Ngibuini

Another celebrity in politics is Davidson Ngibuini, who is popularly known as DNG. He is the new MCA for Woodley-Kenyatta Golf Course Ward in Nairobi.

He defeated, among others, Gabriel Kagundu, Gabu, a member of the P-Unit music group.

Luck also eluded popular Churchill Show comedian Jasper Muthomi, aka MC Jessy, who unsuccessfully vied for the South Imenti parliamentary seat in Meru County.

Popular singer Charles “Jaguar” Njagua, of the Kigeugeu hit song fame, relinquished his Starehe parliamentary seat. His troubles started after being denied the UDA ticket, which went to former East African Legislative Assembly Member Simon Mbugua. Jubilee Party’s Amos Mwago trounced Mbugua to bag the seat. Mwago garnered 50,787 against Mbugua’s 35,548 votes.

Jaguar has been mentioned as one of the possible UDA nominees and will thus be returning to Parliament.

Controversial blogger Robert Alai won the Kileleshwa MCA seat in Nairobi on an ODM ticket. During the election campaigns, he earned notoriety for engaging in fisticuffs with party secretary-general Edwin Sifuna.

Even for celebrities, it seems, the allure of political glory and goodies is irresistible.

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