Poverty forces Singer Princess Jully to gold mining

 Dholuo legendary songstress Princess Jully, born Lillian Auma Aoka, is living in abject poverty; a life not very many Kenyans would believe of the once celebrated singer.

Speaking to Ramogi FM on Friday, Princess Jully of the fame song, Dunia Mbaya, shared the unfortunate life events which led to her premature downfall.

She revealed all her friends, family and people whom she counted on abandoned her when her pockets ran dry.

“It is true human beings tend to forget those who helped them in their times of need. When I had money, everybody wanted to stay around me; including friends and strangers. Now that I am financially starved, nobody wants to be associated with me,” she said.

Jully now works as a casual labourer in one of the gold mine fields in Komito, Migori County. She said she walks for close to 20 kilometres every day to the work station where she fetches her daily bread.

“I mine and sell gold in Komito. Two or three grams go for between Ksh 200 to Ksh 300. It is better to get that small amount of money to buy food and clothes than staying idle as I wait to die.”

The singer says her life took a three-sixty degree turn; from paradise to hell, when her husband passed on in 1997. She said she could not manage her band or fight the then piracy plague that ate into artists’ work.

“When my husband was alive, he supported me with my music; he produced most of my songs. I even learnt from him how to produce my own music. Life was too good. My band and I and used to tour places including Mombasa, Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam and many other destinations. However, when he passed on, things changed completely.”

The singer is now requesting the government to help her out, and reward her efforts for playing a big role in educating Kenyans about HIV/AIDS back in the ‘90s.

“When my Dunia Mbaya song debuted, everybody knew of it; even government officials sang to the lyrics of the song. It highlighted the plight of those living with HIV/AIDS. It actually prompted the government to order for ARVs from abroad,” she said.

“The government should at least look out for me, and attribute my contribution of fighting HIV/AIDS through my music.”

Princess Jully was part of the divas of the Nile Supergroup that featured four Kenyan female musicians herself, Suzzana Owiyo, Achieng Abura and Mercy Myra.

The singer is now saved and believes God will come to her rescue.

 

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