Abel Mutua Gets Emotional Recalling His Late Brother Rapho

Abel Mutua is widely known in Kenya for making people laugh. But behind the comedian, actor and storyteller is a family history shaped by separation, remarriage, loss and a strong bond between siblings.

The entertainer recently opened up about that side of his life during an emotional appearance on The Kisiangani Podcast, where he discussed his late younger brother, Raphael Mbuvi Musyoka, popularly known as Rapho.

A blended family

Mutua has previously described growing up in a blended family.

He said his parents separated when he was around seven or eight years old. His father later started another family, while his mother remained with Abel and his younger brother.

His father’s second family had five children. According to Mutua, tragedy later brought his parents back together after his father’s second wife died while giving birth.

“We are many. I come from a proper blended family.”

His parents eventually remarried and brought the two families together.

Mutua and his brother joined the other children, creating a large household. The family later moved from Umoja to Kibra, where his father’s other family had been living.

The man behind the comedian

Mutua has previously spoken about how his childhood experiences shaped his understanding of family.

In an interview with Parents Africa, he recalled that his father left when he was eight and that his mother raised him and his brother before she remarried.

He also credited his stepfather with playing an important role in his transition into adulthood.

“Sometimes it is more than biology,” Mutua said when describing his understanding of family.

That perspective is also visible in the way he has spoken about his siblings over the years.

Losing Rapho

Rapho’s death in December 2023 became one of the family’s most painful moments.

During his latest podcast appearance, Mutua became emotional while recalling his younger brother’s final years and the family’s efforts to support him.

Rapho was the youngest of eight siblings and was studying at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). Mutua said six of the siblings were working and regularly contributed money towards his education and upkeep. Some contributed KSh2,000 while others sent KSh1,000.

The family had therefore remained closely involved in his life, even as they faced difficult circumstances.

From family stories to public storytelling

Mutua’s ability to tell personal stories has become an important part of his public identity.

He began acting on television with Tahidi High before expanding into filmmaking, comedy and online storytelling. During the Covid-19 period, he started sharing stories from his own life after his wife encouraged him to take them to a wider audience.

His latest conversation offers another glimpse behind the entertainer Kenyans know on screen.

For Mutua, some of the stories are not jokes. They are memories of family, loss and the experiences that helped shape him.

By Alvin Kamau