TV star ‘Wanade’ dies after battle with cancer

                 Beth Mbaya (left)

Television actress Beth Nyambura Mbaya, popularly known by her screen name Wanade, has died.

Mrs Mbaya who acted in Mother in Law, died at her sister’s home in Nairobi’s Kahawa Sukari yesterday after a long struggle with cancer.

Nyambura was married to Mr Robert Mbaya and was the mother of two young screen sensations — Kamau Mbaya, who plays Baha in the show Machachari, and Mungai Mbaya, who acts in the long running Makutano Junction and is also the presenter of the children show Know Zone.

Mrs Mbaya was the older sister of Mr Joseph Kinuthia, popularly known by his screen name Omosh from the show Tahidi High and the younger sister of actress and scriptwriter Naomi Kamau.

Breaking the news on a Facebook page “Get Well Soon Wanade,” close friend Suzanne Njoki Ng’ang’a wrote: “It’s with deep sorrow that we let you know of the demise of darling sister Beth Nyambura Mbaya aka ‘Wanade’. Thanks for the great prayers Kenyans offered. We shall keep you posted.”

Sound engineer Kamicha Kamau, who worked with Mrs Mbaya in Know Zone, described her as a jovial person.

“She had very good work discipline and no matter how hard the task was, she would take it in her stride. We’ve lost a friend and a person who was dedicated to the Kenyan film industry.”