Kenya: Johnson Mwakazi of Citizen TV tells his story of growing up in Africa's largest slums (Kibera)

More than often we see successful people and wish we were at their place, but we keep forgetting that there is a path they took to where they are and defined by the tribulations on their way to success. Johnson Mwakazi is a household name, especially recently after he has become one of the most common faces across all TV stations on his popular “Now that makes sense” adverts. Mwakazi who is a news anchor on Citizen TV recently spoke out about his faith, his addictions and the path he has taken throughout his life to become who he is today on a TV interview.

It all started in Kibera where he was born and while he has the accent of a person who must have spent his entire life in the UK or elsewhere that English is the primary language, Mwakazi grew up in the most popular slums in Africa, Kibera. Mwakazi went further to reveal that he was brought up by his mother because his father was a drunkard who never cared whatever happened to him or his education. His mother worked as a cleaner and it was not easy supporting him through school.

At the age of 14, Mwakazi was introduced to pornography by his peers in the crime populated slums and he slowly became glued to it. He got deeper and deeper day by day and masterbation became a part of his everyday life. There was very little for him to do outside his school work and he spent all the time he could serving the masters of his addictions.

Mwakazi was lucky to escape the wave of crime and drugs that would have seen him divert from bad to worse in his quest to be a better man in the future. His mother had introduced him to the All Saints Cathedral and when he started going to church there, he discovered how different the world was out there, so different from his usual surrounding that it changed his ambitions. He wanted to grow up and move away from living in Kibera.

When Mwakazi joined high school, he gave his life to Christ and while he was still served his addictions, he learned that they were wrong and that he was violating himself and his body. ”

I came to give my life to Jesus when I was in secondary school.  Now one thing changed in my life, when I was still in pornography and masturbation, it was basically a matter of, “I just hope nobody comes to the realization that I do this.”

But when I got saved I came to understand that it was wrong, that it was a sin against God and against my own body. And that prompted me to call upon God and really cry unto God, “God remove this, remove this from me.”

But God had to bring me to a moment of stillness. In my spirit I heard a very still, small voice saying, “I love you. I love you.” And that came as a powerful message into my life. And God was telling me, “I was with you every second of that life, I was with you. And even right now I am with you.”

After a struggle, Mwakazi made it to escaping the addictions.

Mwakazi eventually joined a Kibera theatre group and after a while, he got a role in a skit in which he played a narrator. The facilitator of the skit was impressed and told him “Wow, you have a great voice, you have something to offer, something precious.” and that was the turning point for him. It was when he knew for sure what he wanted to do with his life.

Mwakazi is still a born again christian who lives according to the plan of the Lord and he says that all this was God preparing him to be the great presenter he is.

There is a lot we can learn from Mwakazi’s story and I am sure you have all picked a lesson or two. Your surroundings should never determine your future. Where you are today is just somewhere within the path of your destiny and a dark moment is not the end of the journey.

[niaje]