Celebrated Kenyan actress and content creator, Jackie Vike, famously known as Awinja, has voiced her concerns over the directive by the Betting Control and Licencing Board (BCLB) banning firms from engaging celebrities and content creators in advertisement and promotions.

“Gambling adverts SHALL NOT glamorize betting or use celebrities, influencers and content creators to endorse or promote gambling,” read a part of the circular from the BCLB Chairperson Jane Mwikali Makau.

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Speaking in an interview with TV47 on Friday, May 30, Awinja described the ban as a blow to the creative industry since many are going to lose jobs.

“Speaking from my experience, from the company I work with, naeza sema wamepea influencers wengi sana kazi. So hearing that is really sad, because watu wengi wanaenda kulose jobs,” she said.

She added: Influencers wengi sana walikuwa wanategemea betting gigs, na wanaenda kusambaratika kwa sababu ya hii.”

During the same interview, Awinja shared her journey coming from Wanga slums, Eastleigh, to becoming one of the country’s most celebrated talents. She said her biggest motivation was to move her family from the ghetto, where they faced several challenges.

“Reason yangu ya kutoka ghetto it’s basically because of the experiences zilikua huko,” Jacky said. “And also besides that, nikigrow, like my age mates, wenye tulikua nao shule, walipata ball at a very, very young age… so I was like, you know what, nataka kutoa mother yangu huku na nataka tutoke huku,” she added.

Today, she runs a production company, Awish Productions, which has over 60 employees, and is currently running a show on DStv called ‘Sumbua Sacco’.