‘Mother-In-Law’ actress Elizabeth Wanjiru gave a tear-jerking interview at Radio Jambo, recalling how she spent a decade in mourning as her siblings passed away one after the other.
The 77-year-old actress said she was born in a family of 12 siblings, 10 of whom have since passed on.
“Mama alikuwa na watoto kumi na wawili na sasa she is late, my father is also late na hata dada zangu karibu wote wamefariki. Kuna kitu kilikuja si mzuri kwa hivyo out of the 12 siblings, tuko wawili.
“Sijui what happened kwa sababu hatukuwa watu sickly. Mama alikuwa mkulima mzuri, tulikuwa na chakula sijui nini ilihappen… Miaka mingi nilipotelea huko mourning. Unamourn huyu ukimaliza ufurahie mwingine anaenda, it was a sad 10 years. In a space of 10 years I lost almost 10 people,” she told her host Massawe Japanni.
Ex-Husband Took Away Their Children
‘Charity Mwamba’, as she is known from her 12-year role in ‘Mother-in-Law’, also recounted how her ex-husband fled with their children to Uganda.
Ms Wanjiru said the husband had another family in Uganda that he returned to after they separated.
“I was married to a Ugandan na wakati wa dictator Iddi Amin, tulikuwa affected na hio mambo ya politics ya Uganda. Tena hatukusikizana, some of the interpretations mimi ni mkristo na ninataka kuepuka mambo mengi inaleta shida na yeye ni ambitious so tuka part ways.
“Wakati Museveni alirudi nayeye akaitwa huko wasaidiane and a very serious thing happened alibeba watoto. Mimi naishi peke yangu kama mtu hana watoto na alikuwa tayari na bibi mwingine na watoto wengine hata watoto wangu sijui vile wako… hawana shughuli ya kurudi but they are developing their families and I don’t like to interfere,” said Ms Wanjiru.
The actor, a teacher by profession, mentioned that she has met her children once since they left in 1981.
Asked how life has been without her children, she said: “It’s been a hard life. It’s been very hard.”
On acting, Ms Wanjiru said she started back in high school.
“I used to act from my days back at Alliance Girls High School. My headmistress who used to teach English and Literature taught me. I got my acting skills from Alliance as I used to perform in several plays,” she said.
