Comedian and Lang'ata aspiring MP Jalas has paid tribute to a few legends of the industry.
Speaking during the Launch of Pride Ya Kenya, the comedian thanked the Late Papa Shirandula for giving him a brand name.
"I got a chance to be at the burial of Mzee Ojwang at the Lang'ata cemetery and I want to celebrate Masanduku and all those people who opened the doors for us to also be seen on TV," he said.
"Big shout-out to Papa Shirandula, who gave me the name 'Jalang'o'. It was just a script and we were asked to pick a name and I chose Jalang'o, and Otoyo picked that."
Jalang'o remembered the impact Papa played in his life and wished he had gotten a chance to say thank you to him.
"I thank him although I never got a chance to celebrate or even say bye to him," he said.
The 58-year-old actor died in 2020 after breathing complications while waiting for treatment at a top private hospital.
Papa was known for the role of a stereotypical security guard living in the daily hustle and bustle familiar to most Kenyans.
He was buried under strict supervision three days after his death.
"You people remember how Covid-19 had struck our country. He died on a Saturday and we went and rushed to Karen hospital but were not even allowed to see his body," Jalang'o said.
"As we were planning to go the morgue to see him, we were told they had already left for burial in Busia. I was left wondering how well we would honour him. We rushed with my friends and got on a flight to Kisumu. It was 8am and Papa was already being buried."
He emotionally remembered how badly he and other actors from Nairobi were chased from Papa's home.
"We got to Busia and he was already been buried and it was over," he said. Everybody from Nairobi was being chased and told they had come there with Covid, the only thing to do was leave."
