Jaymo Ule Msee working on a new show
Comedian Wilson Muirania Gathoni, popularly known as Jaymo Ule Msee is immersing himself in a political drama series, Ms. Politician, as a producer and actor that will be released on May 1. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- People in the arts wield a lot of influence and whenever they start a conversation people are inclined to follow. If there’s something you are passionate about, start talking about it.
- Being an election year, we want to influence as many people as we can to elect women leaders. There are stereotypes on women and why women shouldn’t lead.
Comedian Wilson Muirania Gathoni, popularly known as Jaymo Ule Msee, is widely known for telling stories in a manner that leaves you in stitches. This time round however, he is immersing himself in a political drama series, Ms. Politician, as a producer and actor that will be released on May 1.
You’re not known for these kind of projects, why inject yourself into a political drama?
When I read about this project I became so passionate about it, I sat down with my co-producer and decided this is what we were going to do because it will change the conversation about female leadership in Kenya and highlight the elements people fear especially young women when seeking leadership.
Why should players in the arts industry start talking about serious matters like development issues?
People in the arts wield a lot of influence and whenever they start a conversation people are inclined to follow. If there’s something you are passionate about, start talking about it. The Jaymo Ule Msee team saw an opportunity to change society and took it.
What is your vision for this project?
Being an election year, we want to influence as many people as we can to elect women leaders. There are stereotypes on women and why women shouldn’t lead. We will be successful if we see an increase in women leaders after we are done with this project. In reality we are far from the results that we want but we will get there.
Who is a good leader to you since you portray a bad one in the series?
We have this incumbent leader who is entangled in corruption, squandering of resources and there is no improvement on infrastructure. Sifa Dede, my co-lead, plays a character that has a drive for change; good schools, infrastructure, employment and all the functions of a Governor. In real life, every leader should do what they were elected to do. Period.
You have young followers as Jaymo Ule Msee, what’s your message to them?
A lot of times we sit down and wait for change to be brought to us instead of being at the forefront. Young people should rise up, if you see something that needs to be fixed it’s up to us to fix it. If you think that you are the change people want then go implement it. Make the right decisions.
