"When I was in Class 4, Bwana Mussuko, my tuition teacher, was already teaching me Kiswahili using Form 5 and Form 6 books. That exposure really sharpened my language skills at a very young age, and I consistently performed very well in Kiswahili, especially in insha writing. Looking back now, I can confidently say that even then, there was already a God-given gift for creative writing in me, and I always made sure to put it to use whenever I got the chance.
In secondary school, I chaired both the Drama Club and the Music Club. Despite my good performance in class, my family and teachers strongly believed that if only I left “this drama stuff,” I would thrive even more academically. At the end of every year, I would even be made to write a letter promising that the following year I would focus only on my studies. But the fire within me just could not die. No matter how much people discouraged me, I still found myself going back to drama again and again because it was something I genuinely loved.
My Kiswahili teachers, Madam Kimeu and Madam Kibuba, really played a major role in nurturing my prowess in the language, but the one man I will never forget is Mr Samson Opondo, our drama patron. That man singlehandedly taught me everything to do with drama; scriptwriting, acting, directing, and even adjudication. Even after I completed secondary school, Mr Opondo never let go of my hand. For four additional years, he continued training me free of charge, and honestly, a huge part of who I became in theatre is because of him.
By this time, I had already joined the then Mombasa Polytechnic in 1995 to study Food Science and Technology. Many people still get puzzled by that because it was already very clear that my heart was in the Arts. However, my older brother, who was a financial controller in a big company, told me after secondary school, “The only person I pay more than myself is the Food Production Manager. So if you take Food Science, I will support your education fully.” And because of that, I agreed to pursue the course.
Even while studying, though, I still could not stay away from drama. I joined a cheerleading group at the Polytechnic, and eventually we converted it into a drama club. At that time, the only institution that had permission to participate in the drama festivals was Shanzu Teachers College, and coincidentally, that is where Mr Samson was during that period. He encouraged me to join the festivals, although we faced a lot of resistance in the beginning. Eventually, we were allowed to participate, and we ended up winning with the very first play we presented. Unfortunately, Mr Samson passed away before he could witness that first victory.
Back here at the Polytechnic, our drama club only had 14 members, but we kept winning back to back and dominating almost every category. We were truly unstoppable. At the same time, I never allowed my academics to flop either. I remained focused on my studies and eventually graduated as the top student in my class. After completing my diploma, the institution encouraged me to pursue a Higher Diploma partly so that I could continue mentoring the drama club. However, I instead chose to join the Research Institute of Swahili Studies, where I studied original Kiswahili under Professor Nabhan.
Meanwhile, the Polytechnic offered me a job as a technologist, which I accepted, and later on I also went back and completed my Higher Diploma in Food Science, where I emerged as the best student in my HDip studies.
As of now, I have over 30 years of experience as an actor, screenwriter, director, producer, and hi Haba, Sanura, Laitani, and Nia among others. However, the production that remains closest to my heart is Pete, which has now grown to over 700 episodes.
Over the years, I have also sat in many jury panels judging films both locally and at the international level. I am also proud to be a pioneer Theatre for Development specialist trained by PSI, and I had the honour of presenting the very first Stand-Up Comedy paper during the introduction of the stand-up comedy genre at the Kenya National Drama and Film Festival in the country.
In the year 2000, I was honoured with the Mbalamwezi Award for Distinguished Service to Kenyan Theatre, something that remains very special to me because it recognised years of dedication to the creative industry and theatre development.
One of my greatest joys, however, has been seeing students I have trained here at TUM go on to thrive in the creative industry and secure opportunities through their talent. Watching some of them build careers in acting, scriptwriting, directing, and other creative spaces has been deeply fulfilling because it reminds me that mentorship also has the power to transform lives.
Apart from theatre and film, I have also contributed academically here at TUM through the translation of the TUM Service Charter into Kiswahili as well as developing the Kiswahili for Journalism translation syllabus, both of which I take great pride in.
I still remember when I was recognised as a national adjudicator because my older brother called me and jokingly said, “Kumbe hii drama ni serious hivi? Maybe I should not have pushed you so much into Food Science.” We laughed about it, but in truth, everything worked out well in the end because I managed to balance both my profession and my passion.
It has not been easy, but I have always tried to remain disciplined, especially when it comes to time management. Even while pursuing my degree in Food Science, I continued attending theatre workshops and training clinics, including programmes organised by the British Council. Along the way, I also realised that my knowledge in Food Science was influencing my creativity in ways I had never imagined. Some of the scientific insights I gained continue to inspire ideas that I bring to life in my plays and films.
What I usually tell parents today is to truly understand their children. If you see your child has the discipline and ability to balance both academics and the arts, then support them fully. And if academics may not be their strongest area but they are gifted in the arts, support that as well, because in this life, there is really no one-size-fits-all formula.
As for me, I now look forward to authoring anthologies of plays for secondary schools and universities, because I believe storytelling still has a very important role to play in shaping future generations."
Trust the process
~Yusuf Mwinyihija Ali (Yusuf Dalu)
Senior Food Technologist
Actor, Screenwriter, Director, Producer & Adjudicator
By Harrison nashon
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