Mathias Keya is his official name, and consistency is simply his forte.
Makokha who stars in local comedy show Vioja Mahamkamani describes himself as an entertainer, a man who perfectly lives two completely separate lives. "People know me as the funny guy on their screens. I am a family man, a father in the house." Said Makokha the father of four in an interview.
As many know Makokha and the roles he plays on Vioja Mahakani, most are the times he plays the bad guy role compared to the few he features as the hero. However, there's more to the huge, dread locked comedian's life than his fans know.
"I started acting as a young kid, I can vividly remember it all started when I was in class 3 , at Dr. Kraft primary school where I participated in music and drama festivals, a hobby-turned talent which I took along throughout primary school."
"After I joined form one, I still never let go of my talent, but I almost thought my dreams came to a sudden death when I was forced to drop out of school as a form two student, due to financial problems. " explains the outspoken Makokha, who drew inspiration from his comedy idol, the late Mzee Tamaa bin Tamaa.
"Soon after dropping out, I joined Jericho acrobats group by the name 'Zuma zuma' where we used to perform in events and shows, which included performing in luxurious hotels in Kenya. My biggest breakout came after I joined Jericho Cultural dancers. Our dances and comedy shows earned us an unforgettable tour to Korea. "
All this time, Makokha was only taking part in cultural dances and local comedy, before he joined broadcast comedy, an experience he terms as 'unbelievable'.
"I remember in 1992 while performing at one of the hotels in Nairobi, and Vitmbi's Mama Kayai was present. She was impressed by my acting skills and she invited me for a shoot, luckily enough I made it to the show without any auditions" recalled Makokha, whose impressive displays has earned him the privilege to perform for former heads of state, Daniel Moi, Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta, in public functions.
Apart from acting, Makhoha is a recording artist whose 'Zuka Records' studio helps nurture upcoming talents in Nairobi.
The multi- talented comedian also took time to challenge the government and Kenyans as a whole, encouraging them to support local acts if they want to see local arts prosper in future.
"The Kenyan government should at least offer more support to us artists." He said. "When you look at Tanzania, their local talents receive massive support and the results are incredible, same thing with Nigeria." He noted.
"Same thing applies in our local football structure. When you look at the local football, we can all blame mismanagement, poor funding and low stadium turn outs as one of the key areas that drag our game down.
The ever vibrant Makokha, as always had a piece of advice for his fans and the upcoming actors; "The most important thing is for them to always put God first, respect their job, their audience and most importantly humble themselves."
Watch one of Makokha's vioja mahakamani clips below: