During a heartfelt conversation on the “I AM” podcast hosted by Jeff Koinange, comedian and activist Eric Omondi opened up about the painful personal losses that have shaped his life in recent years.
Although Eric revealed that he has lost both parents and a sister, he admitted that the death of his younger brother, Fred Omondi, affected him more deeply than any other loss.
Fred, who was also a comedian, died in a tragic road accident along Kangundo Road in June 2024. According to Eric, the loss went beyond family, describing Fred as both his closest companion and a key force behind his creative career.
Eric explained that the two brothers shared an unusually close bond from childhood. They grew up together in Kisumu before relocating to Nairobi in pursuit of careers in comedy and entertainment.
“Of all my family members, I spent most of the time with Fred and by the way he was the head of my creative. So, his death hit me the hardest, more than even my own parents’ death,” Eric said.
The entertainer reflected on how they built their careers side by side during the early days of the popular Churchill Show, navigating both fame and financial struggles together.
“I’ve lost all my family members: My dad, mom, brother and sister. But Fred Omondi’s death hit me the hardest. I think it’s because we grew up together, we came to Nairobi together, we started doing comedy together and we even ended up in Churchill Show together,” he shared.
Eric also made a surprising revelation about Fred’s influence on his career success, saying his brother was the mastermind behind much of the comedy material that made him famous.
According to Eric, Fred was more talented and naturally funnier than he was, adding that many of the jokes associated with his rise in comedy were originally created by Fred.
“Fred was more talented than me, he was funnier than me by far. Do you know most of the jokes that made me who I am today were Fred’s jokes?” he said.
The emotional interview also highlighted how difficult it has been for Eric to fully process the loss. Despite continuing his work in entertainment, activism, and politics, he admitted that the reality of Fred’s death still feels unreal to him.
“You see the way Luos are saying that up to now they don’t believe that Raila Odinga is dead, until today, it has never sunk that Fred Omondi is dead,” Eric said.