Celebrated actor and mentor Mzee Ojwang alias Benson Wanjau who passed away on July 13th 2015 at the Kenyatta National Hospital will be laid to rest tomorrow , Wednesday 29th at Lang’ata Cemetery .
Mzee Ojwang’ and his famed Vitimbi group entertained Kenyan television viewers and in many social places. Mzee Ojwang’ also acted in other comedy programmes like Kivunja Mbavu and Vioja Mahakamani. He inspired many Kenyan artists and that is way all artists from every parts of the country came together today July 28th 2015 at the Nyayo National Stadium to celebrate a life well lived.
Mzee Ojwang’ was first appointed on 1st July 1998 as an Artist under the then Ministry of National Heritage and Culture at age 61. Over the period, Mzee Ojwang rose through the ranks to become an Assistant Manager (Production) and had his contract renewed several times.
Benson is set to be buried as from 12 pm tomorrow and all artists in Kenya will be present as they give him a befitting burial.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday morning joined the rest of the country to mourn the sudden loss of renown actor Benson Wanjala who was famously known as Mzee Ojwang. H.E Uhuru Kenyatta mourned and celebrated Mzee Ojwang at the same time by saying that the country has lost a teacher in comedy whose role will never be forgotten.
In a speech shared through his verified facebook account President Uhuru said :
I have learnt with great sadness about the passing of Benson Wanjau, who was better known to all his fans in Kenya and beyond as Mzee Ojwang.
Mzee Ojwang lived a full life of great artistic accomplishment. His role as Mzee Ojwang is unforgettable and iconic. His devotion to that character and role was exemplary. Through it, Wanjau educated, informed and entertained Kenyans with unparalleled dexterity. He taught without sounding preachy, informed without boring anyone, and entertained without becoming trivial.
Wanjau devoted his life to the development of his legendary character and, whether with his troupe or alone, became a much-loved national figure. He also inspired a long line of comedians and actors who seek to replicate his feats.
Without a doubt, family television will not be the same without the promise of Mzee Ojwang regaling the nation with his antics.
National holidays will suffer the loss of a long-standing figure of unstinting reliability in delivery. The entertainment industry will grieve a man of simple but ferocious loyalty to his trade, an inspiration and role model to countless aspiring stars, and a pillar of the industry.
Mzee Wanjau, as Mzee Ojwang, was our Nation’s kind teacher and gentle critic. He taught us through his ever-green comedy, that we are never perfect, but that learning from our mistakes and waking up to our folly places us on the redeeming path to continuous improvement. I have been a fan of his since I was a youngster. He showed Kenya how to take itself more seriously by laughing at its own reflection in the mirror of drama which they hold before us.
He and his colleagues memorably demonstrated that the finest art and entertainment does not have to shed its social purpose. Rather, it is possible for artists to delve deeper into our condition and strive to help us seek the answers we all yearn after.
He charmed many generations of Kenyans from all walks of life by completely embracing a new ethnic identity and showing that our struggles are not unique, and that there’s much more that unite than divide us.
I looked forward to socialising with Mzee Ojwang and other artistes during the opening of the refurbished National Theatre. My sadness is greater for the knowledge that this will not happen. On behalf of my Government and the people of Kenya, I extend words of comfort, encouragement and condolence to the family, colleagues and friends of Mzee Wanjau.
A great artist has taken his final bow. We salute him. A legendary Kenyan has gone to rest. We wish him a fitting farewell. May God give you the strength to bear his passing, and may his soul find eternal rest in God’s kingdom.
Benson Wanjala passed on Sunday evening after succumbing to a pneumonia illness at Kenyatta National Hospital. Mzee Ojwang’s loss hit many Kenyans hard and public figures went to their social media accounts to share their messages of condolence.
Veteran comedian Benson Wanjau ALIAS Mzee Ojwang Hatari succumbed to pneumonia attack this evening at the Kenyatta…
Posted by Daniel “Churchill” Ndambuki aka Mwalimu King’ang’i on Sunday, July 12, 2015
RIP Mzee Ojwang’. You are now in a better place.My sincere condolences to his family and friends.
Posted by Maina Kageni on Sunday, July 12, 2015
R.I.P Mzee Ojwang.Greatest Of All Time.
Posted by Jua Cali on Sunday, July 12, 2015
You are a true legend ,we will miss you .RIP Mzee Ojwang
Posted by DJ MO [topa de top dj] on Sunday, July 12, 2015
Veteran comedian / actor Mzee Ojuang is dead. May the Lord rest his soul in eternal peace
Posted by Mike Sonko. on Sunday, July 12, 2015
I mourn Ojwang (Benson Wanjau), a true superstar of our times, real national hero. We must be challenged to take better care of our artists.
— Ababu Namwamb, EGH (@AbabuNamwamba) July 12, 2015
R.I.P Mzee Ojwang!!! Safiri salama, msalimu Maulana…Tutaonana baadae. pic.twitter.com/O3DAj3zcm6
— The Mix Genius™ (@DJSADIC) July 12, 2015
Saddened by the passing of Mzee Ojwang Hatari (Benson Wanjau). Along with him has gone a memorable piece of my childhood.#RIPMZEEOJWANG
— Mugo Kibati (@mugokibati) July 12, 2015
Benson Wanjau AKA ‘Mzee Ojwang’… It was an honour to have interacted with you and the crew while at @KBCChannel1 #RIP great one.
— Sen. Naisula Lesuuda (@Lesuuda) July 12, 2015
MzeeOjwang’ was rescued by Senator Mike Sonko from his home on Thursday and taken to hospital where he will be having a surgery on his eye which has developed complications. His former workmates followed him on his journey to recovery and even though they were happy with what Sonko Rescue Team had done they raised their feelings on what KBC had done to MzeeOjwang’ after 40 years of hard work.
Mama Kayai said that she is saddened with the news and now she is just mourning.
We celebrate Mzee Ojwang’ for being a great icon in the acting industry and for being a great role model to many actors.
After a sudden admission at Lions Sight First Eye Hospital for an eye surgery, Benson Wanjau popularly known as Mzee Ojwang’ has now been discharged from hospital after he had a successful surgery. Mike Sonko shared of the good news of the actor who has been battling failing eyesight due to the effects of diabetes for a while now after he was unduly dismissed from KBC due to his old age, reports say.
Mike Sonko who took the 1st step to take Ojwang’ to hospital through his rescue team praised GOD for helping Mzee Ojwang undergo a successful surgery. Sonko said :
Thanks be to the Almighty. NOTHING is impossible with God.
I am pleased to report that Mzee Ojwang’s surgery was very successful. He has regained his eye sight and is now able to see well. Thank you to all those who chipped in…together we have changed someones life.
Kenyans on social media had created a buzz under the hashtag #OkaoMzeeOjwang and it can now be seen that Kenyans have a heart of aiding one of their own.
In 40 years of comedy Mzee Ojwang’ worked for KBC , performed at various public holidays that 3 Kenyan presidents graced but now he is living as a poor man with partial blindness following up on him. If his friends had not raised the alarm to Senator Mike Sonko then the story would have been different for the Vitimbi star as many call him.
MzeeOjwang’ was rescued by Senator Mike Sonko from his home on Thursday and taken to hospital where he will be having a surgery on his eye which has developed complications. His former workmates followed him on his journey to recovery and even though they were happy with what Sonko Rescue Team had done they raised their feelings on what KBC had done to MzeeOjwang’ after 40 years of hard work.
“He worked for 40 years and together with him we were dismissed without a single notice or call from above to let us know that our time was up. It was abrupt and shocking to see our employers telling us to pack our bags and leave the station because of our old age. “ Mama Kayai said
Mzee Ojwang added : “I pray that the President looks into the matter of KBC as I worked for 40 years and I didn’t receive a single coin when leaving”
The actor who played the role of a prosecutor on the Vitimbi also echoed his thoughts by stating that were it not for Sonko Rescue team then Mzee Ojwang’ would have passed on at his sick bed.
If this allegations are true then the government needs to work on this matter and see that Mzee Ojwang’ and the rest of the actors are taken care of. They are not only heroes but they are Kenyans who have families that need to be taken care of.
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