Abel Mutua, an award-winning scriptwriter and actor, has revealed previously unknown details about his time at Citizen TV as an actor and camera operator on Tahidi High.
Mutua claimed on the Mic Cheque podcast that SK stumbled across their payroll one day when they were being paid Sh3,000 every episode for being a part of the Tahidi High cast.
“We used to earn Sh3,000 during the first year. Then when the show was big the boss SK Macharia came across our payroll. He was shocked after realizing superstars were being paid Sh3K,” Mutua said.
He went on to reveal that Macharia ordered their salaries to be tripled as their show was one of the most loved.
“He ordered the salary to be reviewed. The salary was tripled from Sh3K to Sh9K plus an extra Sh1,000 to take care of things like uniforms, and shoes. So from season 8, we were earning Sh10K per episode,” he explained.
“So we did it for one year which is equivalent to 4 seasons. So I used to receive a salary three times, as a scriptwriter, Actor, and camera operator. Scripting was Sh15K per episode and Sh7K for camera operator per episode,”.
Mutua also shared details of his friendship with Phillip Karanja which started way back in College.
“We reported to college the same day, later became roommates, got picked for Tahidi High the same day, and got employed as crew to Citizen TV the same day. We also stayed in the same house in Pangani,” Mutua said.
Abel Mutua acted as Freddie on Tahidi High, while Phillip Karanja was Johnny, Sarah Hassan played Tanya, and Dennis Mugo was OJ on the show. These were some of the biggest names in Tahidi High alongside Principal Tembo, Miss Morgan, Shishi, and others.
The former Tahidi High actor went down memory lane to narrate how he almost died after fainting in the bathroom.
“I fainted in the bathroom naked, with only the househelp in the house. She was the only one home so she had to help me.
“I had overworked myself coz I had just gotten my first child. I had the fear of, My kid is here I can’t give them excuses, you have to provide,” he said,
