Things have taken a dramatic turn at creative entertainment service company ‘Laugh Industry Limited‘ known for its flagship ‘Churchill Show’ program, as unpaid comedians and service providers continue to pull back the curtain on unaddressed complaints of non-payment, unreasonable work expectations, constant intimidation of workers, and a toxic culture of evading responsibility that is perpetuated by media personality Daniel Ndambuki.
Since the beginning of the year, widespread accusations emerged from his team over unresolved payments, with many comedians and support staff claiming they have been denied what they are owed.
The growing discontent reached a boiling point when comedians, already facing dwindling viewership and unstable conditions, boycotted a show at BBS Mall, demanding compensation.
Sources have revealed that while their boss paid over Ksh 10 million shillings to foreign artists Israel Mbonyi and Christina Susho for performance, his Kenyan crew have been left in the lurch.
The situation has only worsened as show payments remain delayed, with the rest of the crew, including hotel staff and suppliers from KICC, yet to receive their dues.
Ndambuki’s response has reportedly been to ignore their calls, with many workers left to wonder if they will ever see their hard-earned money.
The production team is now finding it increasingly difficult to continue, with several episodes of ‘The Churchill Show’ now airing repeats on NTV due to the inability to record fresh content.
Reports indicate that Ndambuki, who once enjoyed a reputation for professional success, is now funding his extravagant lifestyle by cutting corners and neglecting his financial responsibilities.
This decline, according to insiders, began when he replaced key staff members with less experienced personnel, prioritizing loyalty over competence, all while avoiding his financial obligations.
Sources revealed to Cyprian Nyakundi that, “Things have gotten worse for Churchill. The Mbonyi show failed, and he only fully paid the foreign artists except Joel Lwanga.
“The Kenyan ones were only paid deposits. Now no one is picking up their calls. The rest of the crew, hotel, and KICC have not been paid. KICC is holding his trucks until they are paid.
“The last three shows on NTV have been repeated. He is currently unable to record new episodes due to debts everywhere and a lack of audience nowadays; he pays university students to attend.
“What he has maintained is his drinking and womanizing lifestyle. His downfall started when he replaced his competent staff with his drinking mates, tribe mates, and sycophants to avoid paying them their dues owed before COVID.”