Priscillah Mong'are sits with Frankline Nyangau aka Zakayo on why his parents did not want him to join comedy but chose to push on

Q1: How did you come up with the name Zakayo?

A: Zakayo is someone who is short but ‘upstairs’ is good, very sharp. Zakayo inanifaa.

Q2: How did you join comedy?

A: Nilianza comedy in 2020, the corona time. I was with my cousin and he had an acting group though I was not part of it. He told me that there was someone missing in the group and that niende niact kama yeye. Vile nilifanya that comedy movie, a lot of people texted both my cousin and I. My cousin was told by several people that the boy ako sawa. So, by the time ile group iliisha most of the people were asking “ule boiz alienda wapi” I had to come back na nianze kuwapea comedy.

Q3: What are the challenges and positives in your career?

A: Hakuna kitu haina ups and downs. Everything has its own challenges. I never completed my studies. After form four, that was it for me. Hii ndio inanilipa. Nilipata that comedy in a way or the other ndo itanilisha. Comedy or any talent inaezakulisha. Saa hii comedy feeds both my parents and I.

Q4: Would you want to go back to school

A: Hapana. Penye nimefika na comedy, ndio inanisaidia. Studies kuna wale wenye inasaidia. Siezi ua watu moyo kwa sababu kuna wale inasaidia but to me it won’t except in English and communication.

Q5: How do you cope with cyber bulling?

A: In everything that we do especially kama uko online, zinaezafanya hata ujiue because comments haziwezi kufanana. However many they are. There are those who give positive complements and there are those ones who’d wake up and feel like hakupendi. Utapata mtu anakuhate bure tu and huezimuliza mbona you hate someone. Anakuhate because anafeel anakuhate and hizo ndio zinafanya tunaendelea. When you look at the negativity is when you realize where to change and what to do.

Q6: Who is your role model in comedy?

A: Erick Omondi. He does comedy and he is supportive and that’s why nilichoose kukua kama yeye. When I have something small and feel like kuspend, I’d rather support someone with it. Sitaki watu wateseke nikiwa.

Q7: There is a child who wants to drop out of school because Zakayo paused on his studies and ventured into comedy. What can you say to him or her

A: Leo nilienda shule and the Principal aliniambia vile nimekuja na gari niiondoe kidogo. Ilibidi nimeitoa nje because some students waliniona. Mimi na masomo hatukuelewana and I took that time ya shule kuelewa my talent can pay. I’ll tell that child to try his/her best kujua uko na talent. Kuna wale talent yao iko kwa masomo, wasiposoma ni hivo and there are those hata wakiacha vitabu wanaweza succeed. Try to know where your weakness is or ni nini unaezafanya. 

Q8: Does comedy pay? 

A: Yeah, comedy inalipa sana. Hata kama si comedy, talent pays. Ni ile tu people do not want to venture into activities hazileti matunda haraka but inalipa. Wewe vumilia tu and push because you never know who is watching your videos.

Q9: In your own words, what is the future of comedy?

A: Vile naona saa hii, comedy inarudi chini and if that continues itadisappear because most o the people wanaingia comedy wakifikiria that anataka kua kama Zakayo ama mimi nataka kua na pesa. Siezi kataa ‘collabo’. There is no day utaamka useme unataka kupatana na Erick Omondi. There is a journey one has to push ndio ufikie huyo mtu. There are those people who text me nawaambia wapush kidogo. Nawapea moyo si ati sitaki, nataka na wao wakuje because nikiwapea support watasema wamefika because wameshoot na Zakayo arelax. Let them have the morale to push.

Q10: One word to someone who wants to be a comedian

A: Kama umenotice uko na ability ya kufanya that one thing, just do it an push or it. My parents did not want me shooting or doing such activities but I had to push.