Veteran comedian and activist Eric Omondi has made a heartbreaking confession about the deep pain he continues to carry, admitting that the loss of his brother Fred Omondi has affected him more than the deaths of his own mother and father.
In a raw and vulnerable interview aired over the weekend, the self-proclaimed “President of Comedy” reflected on a life marked by significant family loss.
Eric revealed he lost his mother in 2002, his father in 2004, and an elder brother in 2016—but insisted that none of those tragedies compared to the “shock to the system” caused by Fred’s death.
“I lost my mum, we buried her. I lost my dad, we buried him. I lost my big brother, we buried him. But Fred ilinihit (hit me) different,” Eric told Chris the Bass.
The 43-year-old philanthropist explained that the unique agony of Fred’s passing stems from their inseparable bond.
The brothers didn’t just grow up together; they conquered the cut-throat world of Kenyan entertainment as a duo, moving from their rural home to Nairobi to pursue their dreams side-by-side.
“I do not know if it’s because we grew up with Freddy in the industry and we came to Nairobi together,” Eric said, his voice heavy with emotion.
“I do not know if it’s because we were so close, but it has affected me to this day. There are days I wake up and just say, ‘What? How?'”
The Trauma of suspicion
Fred Omondi tragically lost his life in a road accident on June 15, 2024, when the motorbike he was riding on collided with a bus in Nairobi.
However, Eric revealed that for a long time, he refused to believe it was an accident.
At the time, Eric’s political activism was at its peak, and he had been arrested multiple times for leading protests at Parliament.
When he received the news at 5:00 AM, his mind immediately went to the darkest possible place: assassination.
“I did not believe it was an accident. I went to the hospital and told them, ‘You guys have killed my brother,'” Eric admitted.
“The coincidence was too much for me. I asked, ‘How was my brother on a boda boda (motorbike) at 5:00 AM? Where was he going?'”
The comedian turned “detective” in his grief, demanding to see the crash site and the wreckage of the motorbike.
He only began to accept the tragic reality after tracking down the family of the motorbike rider.
“I looked for the driver of the boda boda and found the driver was being buried; that is when I started believing maybe it was an accident,” he explained.
Despite finally accepting the truth, Eric admits the healing process has stalled.
Having spent 18 months in a state of “unresolved grief,” the activist says the fast-paced nature of the tragedy left him without closure.
“I do not think I have healed from it or have ever come to terms with it,” he confessed. “It happened so fast.”
As Eric continues to fight for the lives of others through his Sisi Kwa Sisi charity, it is clear that the man who spends his days saving strangers is still struggling to save himself from the memory of the brother he lost.
