Patrick Oketch, widely known as Charlie, has undergone an incredible journey from destitution to stardom. His familiar face is instantly recognizable as the drunken character from the popular Kenyan series “Mother-In-Law,” which airs every Sunday on Citizen TV, captivating audiences with its gripping storylines.
Charlie’s role in the show portrays a stubborn drunkard from a wealthy family, entangled in a life filled with unparalleled drama. His on-screen wife, Catherine Kamau (Kate Actress), and their daughter, Olive, portrayed by Ida Wanyoike, complete the dynamic family dynamic.
Born in 1984 in the Mathare slums, Charlie hails from a family of five boys. Life was far from easy for the actor during his upbringing. When he was around three years old, Oketch’s family relocated to the Madiwa area in Eastleigh.
Unfortunately, in 1991, tragedy struck as Oketch’s father passed away when he was just seven years old. Left with a single mother, the boys united to assist their mother in meeting the family’s needs. However, they often ended the day without a meal on their table, facing the harsh realities of poverty.
After completing secondary school, Charlie’s dreams of pursuing higher education were shattered when he missed the opportunity to join a university under government sponsorship by a single point. While his friends embarked on their university journeys, Charlie found himself entering the workforce as a matatu tout, but soon realized the physically and mentally demanding nature of the job.
In search of a different path, he transitioned to working as a construction laborer on mjengos (building sites). Reflecting on this period, he said, “I decided to be a tout, but it was too demanding. Waking up every day to shout, ‘Tao! Tao! Tao!’ was just too much. I later got a job at a mjengo. Since I saw no hope in studying, I never went back to school.”
Unaware of the future that awaited him, Charlie inadvertently embarked on a new journey when his younger brother applied on his behalf to a teacher’s training college. His aunt generously offered to sponsor his education.
“My younger brother applied for me to join a teacher’s training college, which my aunt graciously offered to sponsor. So I enrolled to train as a teacher, although my heart was not fully invested in it.”
Charlie subsequently worked as a P1 teacher at Thogoto before transitioning to the Soweto slums, still in the same capacity. He earned a monthly income of Sh. 3,000 during this time, as revealed in a previous interview with The Standard.
In 2007, having gained several years of teaching experience, Patrick Oketch decided to leave his teaching career behind and pursue his passion for the arts.
During his high school years, Charlie had already discovered his talent for the arts. He offered a unique service to his peers by crafting well-written love letters for their girlfriends, charging a modest fee of Sh. 20.
One fateful day, Charlie visited the Kenya National Theatre, where he fortuitously met Jalang’o. Impressed by Charlie’s abilities, Jalang’o tasked him with translating a 200-page play into Dholuo, for which he earned Sh. 5,000. The play was titled “Mayie Love.”
Driven by his passion, Charlie persistently pursued opportunities in the industry, eventually landing his first role on Citizen TV’s “Tahidi High,” a show centered around the adventures of urban high school students.
“I joined Tahidi High but was let go after only three episodes. Then, in 2008, ‘Mother-In-Law’ was starting, and I received a call to play the role of Charlie.”
“The character of the drunkard Charlie
