Kenya Mourns Filmmaker Nick Wambugu

 NICK WAMBUGU GICHUKI

Nick Wambugu was an award-winning Kenyan filmmaker, producer, and cinematographer renowned for documenting social and political movements in Kenya. He was a co-founder of Folklore Ltd, a production house based in Nairobi.

In 2025, Wambugu was recognized as one of the Business Daily’s Top 40 Under 40 influential professionals in Kenya and received honors from the Kalasha Film Awards and the Cinemadamare Festival in Italy.

He had been battling Hypocellular Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), which is a rare bone marrow disorder that affects blood cell production, and passed away this morning, January 7, 2026, as announced by his lawyer Ian Mutiso.

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In the months before his death, he- alongside his supporters- had initiated a public fundraiser to cover the KSh9 million cost of a life-saving bone marrow transplant in India.

Early Life and Educational Background

Nick Wambugu Gichuki was born in 1991 in Matisi, Kenya.

He attended Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) from 2010 to 2013, where he studied Computer Science Programming and Networking and was an active member of the Film Club and the JKUAT Model United Nations (JKUMUN).

In 2015, he attended the Cinemadamare International Film Festival and Institute in Italy, focusing on film production, directing, and cinematography.

Wambugu later completed a deejaying course at the Santuri School in Nairobi and obtained a Remote Pilot License (VLOS Rating) to support his work as a professional drone pilot.

Wambugu’s Career

Wambugu’s career spanned over a decade, focusing on human-centered narratives and investigative documentaries:

The People Shall, 2025: his latest major work, which he directed and produced, captured the 2024 Gen Z-led protests in Kenya.

Street Dreams: Dancing to Survive (2021)- a feature documentary he directed for BBC Africa Eye that followed homeless dancers in Nairobi for 5 years.

In 2017, he served as the drone operator for the Oscar-nominated film “Watu Wote,” and in 2020, he served as the drone operator for the Sundance-winning documentary “Softie.”

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Before his breakthrough as a director, Wambugu utilized his technical education in various IT and entry-level media roles:

He worked as a Computer Technical Specialist for the KTDA Foundation in 2012 and as a Network Technician at First Assurance in 2014.

In 2012, he had a brief stint with Mediamax Network (K24) as a TV and comedy show host and later served as an assistant producer and scriptwriter for ISIS Media, working on animated webisodes.

Family and Death

Wambugu’s family details are scarce publicly, but he had a sister who was instrumental in his medical journey, as he mentioned that she is the one who urged him to see a specialist in October 2025 after noticing his persistent fatigue.

The film guru rested and breathed his last on the morning of January 7, 2026, days before his bone marrow procedure that was to happen in India at a cost of KSh 9 million.

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