She is regarded as one of the wealthiest female musicians in Kenya. She shops in Europe, drives expensive cars, and has four luxurious homes in North Coast, Mombasa, Nairobi and Rakwaro in Migori County.
In addition to her lavish homes in in Kenya, she has a four-bedroomed house in Zurich, Switzerland.
She was married at 14
Akothee was born to a county administrator father and politician mother. The singer, who grew up in Migori, is the first daughter in her family.
Though her mother was very loving, Akothee went through a rebellious phase in high school which led to her early marriage.
“I was in form two at Nyabisawa Girls, I decided to rebel. When I was 14 I fell in love with a guy who was studying in the neighbouring boys’ school. He used to write me letters that drove me crazy. I can even remember he used to write on blue foolscap,”Akothee recounted nostalgically.
Her teenage love affair became serious and she decided to run away with her boyfriend, “Love overwhelmed me and so I eloped with him. My parents tried to get me back home, but I refused. Once a Luo has made up her mind, who will say no?”
She was a ‘house girl’ for seven years
After running away from home, she went to live with her mother-in-law at Awendo in Migori County.
“I served as a house girl to my mum-in-law for seven years. I was doing all the house chores at that tender age. All that time, my husband was in school learning. He cleared high school and even joined campus while I was still at his mum’s place,” she reveals.
She conceived and gave birth to her first born daughter at her parents-in-law’s houses.
Their relationship went sour and she was sent packing by her in-laws in 2000.
She’d had three kids by age 16
Akothee gave birth to her first born at the age of 14, second born at 15 and third born at 16.
Her second born daughter later succumbed to illness because Akothee could not raise enough money to take her to hospital.
She got her fourth born in the same marriage in 2000.
She once sold omena to make a living
After she left her mum-in-law’s home, she went to live at Kanga where she started an omena business to raise money for her school fees and family upkeep.
In 2003, her husband completed his university course. The two got back together and took care of their children as Akothee went back to school.
“I decided to go clear my fourth form at Kanyasrega High school. I would drop the kids at kindergarten before proceeding to school. In the evening I would pick them up from the teacher’s house, take them home and go sell my omena for one hour,” the singer reveals.
She divorced her husband
When Akothee cleared school, she joined her husband who had then landed a job in Nairobi.
Their life was a humble one, the singer reveals. Akothee recalls friends giving them simple household items such as mwikos sufurias, and mattresses.
Sadly, her husband left her for another woman when he started getting wealthy.
“Maybe I am not a romantic woman, and so he got bored with me on October 6, 2006 and dumped me with our three kids,” said Akothee.
She was a taxi driver
When times became tough, Akothee persevered: “I am like a cat, throw me up and I land on my four feet; not my back.”
After splitting from her husband, Akothee decided to join her brother in Mombasa. At that time, he was running a taxi business and they would partner drive the taxi in turns. The little profit she got from the taxi business was spent on her young family.
One day, while she was doing her rounds in Mombasa, she met a diplomat who was interested in knowing what could drive such a beautiful young woman into taxi work.
That chance meeting was the beginning of a relationship that would dramatically change her life.
The diplomat invited himself to Akothee’s home, and their relationship grew from there. Akothee later relocated with the man to Zurich, Switzerland.
She conceived his child, but at nine months she realised that the man was only interested in getting a baby with her- not marriage. Angered, she took a flight back to Kenya where she started her music career.
She’s got her own money
After hitting the ground running with music, she invested in real estate (Akothee Property) and expanded her transport business (Akothee Safaris).
When she started working in the music industry, Akothee performed at high-end private parties where she could pocket well over a million shillings.
She injected this cash into her businesses and further grew her property.
She’s had enough of men
Akothee said she has permanently bowed out of the dating game.
“I have had enough of men, and I lost trust in them. It will take me years to fall in love again. The love I have now is for me and my children, because no man has plans for me. There is no man who can handle me because there’s no way I will fall into any man’s plans. I call the shots,” she said firmly.
The singer went further to say that she would be apprehensive about carrying another man’s pregnancy or funding a broke man.
“So when you want to come and fall in my plans and I already have five kids, and you have no child: Do you think I will be pregnant for you – no way! If you want to come to me bare-handed and you want me to be paying your bills, I am sorry it won’t happen”, asserted Akothee.
Having kids is her hobby
When asked if she has closed the chapter of having more kids, she quickly interjects: “Hapana! Kid number six is loading! Having many kids is a hobby, and I wish I could fall pregnant again.”
Akothee concluded the interview by highlighting that she is a strong Christian.
