Life Truly Begins At 40. Charity Mwamba (Mother-In-Law), Papa Shirandula and Other Celebrities Who Became Famous After Clocking 40 (Photos)

Nowadays, young people are often in a hurry to achieve their career and life goals by the time they clock 30. But truth be told, not all of us will own that Range Rover by 30 or that palatial house in Kitisuru by 35 or have kids at Braeburn by 32.

Heck, some of us will even reach our peak after we are in our 50’s, after all we are all on different journeys.

Just like Cape Verdian singer Cesária Évora who started her singing career at 47 and died a legend 23 years later these Kenyan celebrities prove that life truly begins at 40.This is because they all got their big breaks after clocking 40.

To start us off is;

1. Elizabeth Wanjiru

Elizabeth had her big break as the cantankerous Charity Mwamba in Citizen Television’s local drama Mother-in-Law. In her role as Charity, Elizabeth has shown us the day-to-day lives of an elderly woman who as to deal with live in in-laws, belligerent teenagers and ‘gossipy’ workers.

2. Peter Muriithi Maina

Peter Muriithi Maina started acting back when he attended primary school at Morison School, Bahati Nairobi before fully immersing himself into acting in the 80’s in plays like ‘Mama Benga’ and ‘Pambazuko’.

However his fame and recognition outside the acting circle came with ‘Mother in Law’ where he plays the role of ‘Mwamba’. A role that has earned him two Kalasha Nominations.

3. Raymond Ofula

Raymond has been in the scene for a while now acting in roles like ‘To Walk with Lions’ before clutching a role in Lara Croft Tomb Raider: alongside Angelina Jolie. Since then, he has gone on to get more roles on TV Series and movies and was even voted as the Best Lead Actor in a TV drama at the 2011 edition of Kalasha awards. This was for his role in hit-TV series ‘Nairobi Law’.

4. Lenny Juma

66 year old Juma has always had a passion for acting and his big break came when he was about 42 years old when he was cast as a witch doctor in the Young Indian Jones Chronicles .Hollywood came calling again about a decade later when he was cast in The Tomb Raider II as a Turkana elder.

Since then Juma has gone on to appear in shows like ’Kona’ as boxing trainer and also in movies like Whiskey Echo and Lost in Africa. He currently owns the Lenny J Casting Stable where he is also a casting director. In his role as a casting director, he has become known for his impeccable casting in two hit shows ‘Shuga’ and ‘Mali’ series

6. Charles Bukeko a.k.a Papa Shirandula

Prior to the Cocacola Brrr! advert, Bukeko was a talented little-known actor but this advert catapulted him to prominence and he became famous not only in Kenya but the world.His most famous role is Papa Shirandula, a watchman living a double life in a show with the same name.

He is currently one of Kenya’s most bankable actors and he has been featured in lucrative ads by Vodacom, GoTV and Kenya Revenue Authority.

7. Muthoni Gatheca

A teacher and school administrator by profession, Muthoni made her acting debut as Ayira Oyange, the widowed matriarchal figure in Africa Magic’s ‘Kona’ alongside Brenda Wairimu and Nini Wacera.

Since then she has been spotted in various TV series. Muthoni will be known for doing the impossible, breaking into an industry that is impossible to break into when you are past 40, and she did it at 50!