This archive report was first published on 13 September 2019.
UK Comedienne Njambi McGrath Accuses Churchill of Mistreatment and Underpayment ¶
Kenyan comedian Njambi McGrath, who is based in the United Kingdom, has accused Churchill show host Daniel Ndambuki of mistreating and underpaying her after a performance at the Africa Laugh Festival in Nairobi.
According to a Facebook post by McGrath on September 12, she was invited to perform at the festival by Churchill after he watched her videos online. She was assured that her accommodation, fees, and flights would be catered for.
However, when she arrived at the venue, she waited for over five hours before being allowed to perform. The show started at 8pm, but she was not invited on stage until almost 2am, when the audience was already exhausted and drunk.
McGrath said that she was shocked to learn that there were 16 comedians performing that night, and that the audience had been sitting for over five hours. She also claimed that she was not offered any food or drink during her wait, and that she was eventually forced to perform in front of a rowdy and heckling audience.
McGrath's performance was met with boos and heckles from the audience, and she was eventually forced to leave the stage. She claimed that Churchill and MC Jessy's attempts to calm down the crowd were futile, and that she was not paid for her accommodation or her fee was shortchanged.
However, in a rejoinder, Laugh Industry head of communications Ken Waudo dismissed McGrath's claims, saying that she had declined accommodation at Panari Hotel and that her fees were paid in full and her air tickets were reimbursed.
McGrath's allegations have sparked a heated debate on social media, with many Kenyans expressing their support for the comedian and accusing Churchill of mistreating and underpaying her.
Published on September 13, 2019, at 7:40am.
