Following a tragic fire that claimed the lives of three of his relatives, Ryan Mwenda, the 16-year-old Kenyan actor renowned for his role as Simba in the popular TV soap opera Zora, has made a heartfelt public appeal to former President Uhuru Kenyatta and current Head of State William Ruto.
In a poignant 5-minute video shared on Instagram, Mwenda recounted the devastating events, revealing that a fire swept through their residence in South B on the night of March 2, 2024.
With deep emotion, ‘Simba’ expressed the urgent need for both political figures to extend assistance with the funeral expenses of his relatives. “I am the nephew of Jackline Kawira, cousin to Tamyra Karimi, and a close friend of their nanny, Doris Kinya. On Saturday, March 2, I lost them all in the tragic fire that consumed their entire home in South B,” he lamented.
“This is an immensely challenging time for my family and me, and I earnestly implore my friends, the fourth President of Kenya, His Excellency Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, and the fifth President of Kenya, His Excellency President William Ruto, to come to the aid of my family and assist in giving them a proper farewell,” he appealed.
Alongside the video, Mwenda added, “I am utterly devastated. No words can adequately convey my anguish at this moment. Losing three of my relatives in such a short span has profoundly affected us as a family. We request your prayers.”
In a previous post sharing his profound grief, Mwenda also revealed the heartbreaking loss of his grandfather five months earlier. “Heart-wrenching! I lost three family members on Saturday night. My dear Aunt Jackie, beloved cousin Tamyra, and Aunt Kinya, their devoted housekeeper. I am shattered,” he wrote.
“It’s unfathomable how these three lives were extinguished in an instant… I cannot bear to imagine the cries and pleas for help that went unanswered… Tamyra, our youngest cousin, I apologize that your cries fell on deaf ears… It’s unbearable! Lord, grant my family strength,” he added, also remembering his grandmother at this trying time.
Doris Kanario, the sister of the victims, shared a heartbreaking narrative of the fire on Facebook. She recounted how Jackie Smith’s home was consumed by flames, resulting in the tragic loss of Jackie, her young daughter Tamyra, and their longtime housekeeper, Kinyi. Kanario expressed disbelief, having conversed with her sister just an hour before the fatal incident. “Sister, I was speaking with you until 1 am, what transpired in those two hours that led to the loss of your family? Only God knows,” she mourned.
