Top 10 Highest Paid Directors in Kenya

We’ve seen lists of most paid actors and actresses before but no one has ever, even for a moment, paused to compose the list of the guys that make these screen gods/ goddesses what they are.

So, PR Consultant and a member of the Kenya National Drama Festivals, Chris Wangalwa, has released the list of highest paid directors and the money they earn from plays.

1. Munene wa Mumbi
Kshs3.3 million
The film genre is the easiest category to proceed with to the nationals since the inception of KNDF and no director has benefited more from that than Munene Wa Mumbi. He also made some extra cash from adjudicating at the Regional level; Metropolitan Universities. Munene wa Mumbi is the ear of the principals of Arbadare Region. As long as he is willing to keep stay behind the cameras, Munene will remain one of KNDF’s highest-paid directors.

2. Lilian Madigo
Kshs1.6 million
Lilian gets a lot of attention for her gender in a male dominated job. But with Nakuru Lions continually at the helm of primaries every season and Laiser Hill causing eyebrows this year, Lilian Madigo has proved that she is one of KNDF’s smartest directors. She must have collected 600,000 from Laiser Hill and further 600,000 from her main source, Nakuru Lions. Lilian, known for her calm demeanour, has also found her way onto the national adjudication bench this and many more years to come; a further income source from KNDF.

3. Joseph Murungu
Kshs1.4 million
Joseph Murungu is a brand; an icon; getting hired to kick out the not-so-good items from the competition; it’s all in a day’s work for Joseph Murungu. The director, who is best known for producing comedies, showed this year that he can stand up to his definition. He collected 700,000 from Mary Hill Girls, and a further 500,000 from Kyanyaga Boys for taking them to the nationals. Of course the rest of the remainder, he was an adjudicator at almost all levels of the festival.

4. Oliver Minishi
Kshs1.3 million
This man is not an icon. He is a model. He works for one institution and one institution only; The Kakamega High School. Apparently he pays himself as he is the school principal. Thus, we are not sure whether the figure we have on our table is authentic, as well, he may be the highest paid director.

5. Elisha Otieno
Kshs900,000
Our personnel tried to reach him on a number of occasions always bumping into a wall. Bank statements, all the same, are in tandem with our paperwork. Besides his big earnings with Kenya High, where he choreographs, Elisha has this year decided to venture in film. He took away 400,000 for the Kenya high dance and the remainder from film-making.

6. Cleophas Malala
Kshs800,000
Now honorable, Cleophas Malala has refused to part ways with KNDF. A man accustomed to controversy but ripping big. You need not to be reminded of the shackles of doom wave. He has since gone ample; from his own pockets sponsoring a village school-Makhiakalo-that came second at the nationals. Not touching on his over 300,000 as a County deputy speaker and MCA, Chavakali High and Eldoret Polytechnique are his KNDF wage sources.

7. Xavier Jerry Nato
Kshs. 700,000
Known for directing Utawala Academy, Xavier Jerry Nato ‘might’ be walking out on those kids since the departure of the principal early this year. This time they were at the nationals with only a Narrative. They, however, featured in the top three unlike the other years. Anyway, Xavier had other schools; Karima Girls and Kenya Methodist University. His celebrity status having originated from screen acting, one wonders why he has not produced a film at the KNDF, opting instead for NGOs like UN documentaries. He should be making more than Munene wa Mumbi.

8. Justin Ong’wen
Kshs.690,000
So down to earth, this one item, one school director made more cash from incentives than his wages. Yet his wages were slightly more than that of a lecturer; Kshs. 3,000 per day. I must not remind you that he is the director; Riara Springs.

9. Patrick Ngere
Kshs. 500,000
This is the right guy to strengthen ties with. The Nairobi Girls’ choreographer must have been sad at heart as he was watching from the audience this time round. Even so, he went home dancing with Kshs. 500,000. Patrick Ngere is said to be the ears and mouthpiece of both Metropolitan and Arbadare.

10. Howard Lumumba
Kshs. 400,000
The only director we know who has not collected his wages from any of the schools he directed. Directing Sunshine boys is no joke. Like Justine Ong’wen, Howard Limumba made more from incentives than his documented Kshs. 400,000. He is also driven in a Toyota harrier to and from rehearsal.

[This article originally appeared on Kenya National Drama Festivals page]