Maina wa Ndung'u | |
---|---|
Born | Peter Maina Ndung'u 26 November 1982 Embu, Kenya |
Nationality | Kenyan |
Citizenship | Kenyan |
Education | Trans-Eastern Airlines Aviation College |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 2013–present |
Children | 3 |
Maina wa Ndung'u (born November 26, 1982), also known as Peter Maina Ndung'u, is a Kenyan actor, voice over artist, cinematographer, photographer, and film editor, as well as a logistics expert. [1] [2]
Maina wa Ndung'u was born in Embu, Kenya. He began his education at Embu County Primary School, [3] later transferring to Lions Primary School in Embu. He completed his primary education at Hillside Junior Academy, a boarding school, before attending Siakago Boys High School and graduating from Kiburu Mixed School in Kerugoya.
In 2004, Maina moved to Nairobi to complete a bridging course at Augustana College on Thika Road. In 2005,He began studying for a diploma in Aeronautical Engineering at Trans-Eastern Airlines Aviation College, but left before graduating to pursue a career with Etihad Airlines, where he developed foundational knowledge that would later support his career in logistics and airline services.
Based in Nairobi, Maina is recognized for his versatile roles in Kenyan film [4] and television, with notable appearances on platforms such as Netflix and Showmax. Known professionally as Maina wa Ndung'u, he has built a reputation for compelling performances across diverse genres while also contributing his voice and editing expertise to various international projects.
Maina wa Ndung'u has gained prominence in the Kenyan entertainment industry for his strong screen presence and emotional depth, earning acclaim for his work in various film and television projects. His performances include notable roles in the television series Kina [5] as Ezzy, produced by Zamaradi Productions and the critically acclaimed film 40 Sticks [6] [7] as Driver. Maina's role in the film Volume [8] as Maish wa mandai, produced by Primary Pictures , [9] garnered widespread recognition, further establishing him as a dedicated and skilled actor. In 2023, he was awarded Best Actor at the 48 Hour Film Festival, highlighting his ability to bring complex characters to life.
In addition to acting, Maina is a talented voice-over artist, contributing to projects with companies such as Hiventy and TransPerfect Media France [10] as a voice actor, dubbing artist, and film editor. His versatility has allowed him to work on a variety of projects, from narration to character dubbing, expanding his influence in both local and international media. Maina has appeared in numerous TV commercials for prominent brands, including Stanbic Bank, Isuzu, Brookside Milk, and Safaricom's "Lipa na M-Pesa" campaign.
Before focusing exclusively on the entertainment industry, Maina built a career in logistics and customer service. From 2007 to 2009, he worked as a flight attendant with Etihad Airlines, where he developed strong communication and customer service skills, which have continued to inform his professional success. Later, he transitioned into logistics management with Twisttruck Transporters, where he oversaw cross-border logistics operations across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, emphasizing safety and operational efficiency.
Maina is multilingual, fluent in English and Swahili, with native proficiency in Kikuyu and additional knowledge of Kenyan languages including Embu, Mbeere, Kamba, and Meru. His linguistic versatility and commitment to authenticity have enriched his work in film and voice-over projects, enabling him to connect with a wide range of audiences.
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2024 | Adulting, Dam | Voice Actor | Dubbing |
2024 | 4Play (coming soon) | Edu | Series |
2023 | Volume | Maish | Series |
2019–2022 | Kina | Ezzy | TV Series |
2019 | Corrupted Dreams | Dennis Onyango | Short film |
2019 | 40 Sticks | Kinuthia | Feature film |
2019 | Plan B | Doctor | Film |
2018 | Nganya | Gathee | TV Series |
2017 | Nganya | Gathee | TV Series |
2016 | Uriru wa Wendo | Arnold | Series |
2016 | Jane & Abel | Doctor | Series |
2016 | Get some money | Kayafa | Feature film |
2016 | Love matters | Ronald | Web Series |
2016 | Gereji matata | Jamo | Film |
2016 | Dada | Roba | Film |
2015 | Pendo | Mariko | Series |
2014 | Urembo | Bruno | Series |
2014 | Perfect imperfections | Brian | Film |
2014 | Counselor | Hotel Manager | Film |
2014 | Crazies | Mike | Film |
2014 | 29 | Ben | Film |
2013 | Mabeshte | Assistant cult leader | Tv series |
2014 | Mother in law | Cop | Tv series |
2013 | Samaritans [11] | Office attendant | Tv Series |
2013 | Prem | Architect | Tv Series |
2013 | Jane & Abel | Doctor | Tv Series |
2013 | Mama Duka | John | Mini Series |
The Kikuyu are a Bantu ethnic group native to East Africa Central Kenya. At a population of 8,148,668 as of 2019, they account for 17.13% of the total population of Kenya, making them Kenya's largest ethnic group.
Dedan Kimathi Waciuri was the leader of the Kenya Land and Freedom Army during the Mau Mau Uprising (1952–1960) against the British colonial rule in Kenya in the 1950s. He was captured by the British in 1956 and executed in 1957. Kenya gained independence in 1963. Kimathi is credited with leading efforts to create formal military structures within the Mau Mau, and convening a war council in 1953. He, along with Baimungi M'marete, Musa Mwariama, Kubu Kubu, General China and Muthoni Kirima, was one of the Field Marshals.
Murang'a County is one of the counties of Kenya's former Central Province. Its largest town and capital is Murang'a, which was referred to as Fort Hall during the colonial era. The county is inhabited mainly by and is considered the birthplace of the Gikuyu, the largest ethnic group in Kenya. The county has a population of 1,056,640 based on the 2019 census.
Mûkûûrî is an administrative Location and township in Runyenjes Division, in Embu County, Kenya, with a population of about 25,000 people. It is named for a large, strong Sycamore Fig Tree that stood for over 100 years at the current site of the township. The Sycamore Fig tree symbolizes strength, rejuvenation and regeneration. Mûkûû-rî region lies on the green, rolling hills of the Mount Kenya slopes. The administrative region begins from the stone cliffs of Nthûngû waterfalls, all the way to Nthenge Njerû falls, through the famous Kirimiri Forest, stretching to the historic Gogo Salt lick, bordering Gitare. It is home to four public primary schools, including Kubu Kubu Memorial Boarding School and Muragari School, which is among the oldest schools in Embu and Kîrînyaga districts.
Kenyatta University (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Nairobi, Kenya. It acquired the status of university in 1985, being the third university after University of Nairobi (1970) and Moi University (1984). As of October 2014, it was one of 23 public universities in the country.
Embu County is a county of the Republic of Kenya. The capital of Embu County and the former Eastern province headquarters, Embu is a large and largely metropolitan area with a population of 608,599 persons. The county borders Kirinyaga to the west, Kitui to the east, Tharaka Nithi to the north and Machakos to the south. The county occupies an area of 2,821 km2. Its home to the Aembu and Mbeere
Nairobi Half Life is a 2012 Kenyan drama film directed by David "Tosh" Gitonga. The film was selected as the Kenyan entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards, but did not make the final shortlist. It is the first time Kenya has submitted a film in this category.
Jane & Abel is a Kenyan television series that premiered on 4 September 2015 at Maisha Magic East. It stars Lizz Njagah and Brian Ogola. Mumbi Maina stars as the antagonist. The soap opera takes lust, passion, greed, deceit and spite as the main thematic concerns.
Maqbul Mohammed is a Kenyan actor and radio presenter. He is known for his role (Donavan) in both Auntie Boss and Varshita!, Kenya's first interlinked comedy series both produced by Moonbeam productions. He also featured in Kenya's first ever crime and legal drama Crime and Justice. Maqbul's career as an actor pivoted when he featured in Makutano Junction, which was one of the longest running local TV Series in Kenya from 2005 to 2009. Maqbul's latest film project was crime and justice which was aired on Showmax. He has also acted in other projects like lies that bind.
Showmax is an online subscription video on demand (SVOD) service that launched in South Africa on 19 August 2015. Its majority owner is MultiChoice, which owns 70% of the Showmax group, while American conglomerate NBCUniversal owns 30% in all territories except Nigeria, where NBCUniversal holds an indirect 23.7% stake in the local subsidiary. In 2023, Showmax announced a partnership with Comcast's NBCUniversal and Sky. The new Showmax launched in February 2024, with a brand-new app and streaming platform, as well as an unprecedented content slate.
Brenda Wairimu is a Kenyan actress and model. She played Lulu Mali in the soap opera Mali.
Pendo is a Kenyan drama television series that airs on NTV and premiered on 3 December 2014. The series is written by Grace danile, produced and distributed by DIL pictures.
Plan B is a 2019 Kenyan-Nigerian romantic comedy film written, directed and edited by the Nigerian filmmaker, Lowladee. The film stars Kenyan actress and producer Sarah Hassan, Catherine Kamau Karanja, and Nigerian actor Daniel Etim Effiong who are the lead actors.
Likarion Wainaina, is a Russian–born Kenyan filmmaker. He is best known as the director of critically acclaimed shorts Between the Lines and Bait as well as most awarded Kenyan film in history, Supa Modo. In addition to directing, he is a cinematographer, editor, producer and actor.
Betty Kathungu Furret is a Kenyan director, film and documentary producer and the founder of Furet Films, a film and documentary production company in Kenya.
40 Sticks is a 2020 Kenyan thriller film produced by SensePLAY, a Kenyan audio-visual production house, an arm of Password Ventures Ltd. It premiered on Netflix on November 20, 2020, showing in Africa, US, UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. 40 Sticks is the fourth Kenyan film to premiere on Netflix in 2020, after Poacher, Sincerely Daisy and Disconnect. The story was created by Frank G. Maina, and written together with Voline Ogutu, and directed by Victor Gatonye.
Kung'u Ndung'u is a Kenyan civil engineer and business executive who was appointed as the Director-General of the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), effective 8 October 2021. He replaced Peter Mundinia who retired. Before his current assignment, Kung'u was the Director of Road Asset and Corridor Management at KeNHA.
Lulu Khadija Hassan is a Kenyan journalist, news anchor, producer, and CEO of Jiffy Pictures. She co-hosts the Nipashe Wikendi news bulletin on Citizen TV alongside Rashid Abdalla. The Swahili-language bulletin airs on Saturday and Sunday.
Cris Douglas Kuria Njiru, is a Kenyan business executive. Since 2017, Douglas is the managing director at Neo Kenya Mpya, a Kenyan transport company mainly owned by his family including his father, Patrick Njiru. In addition, since 2021, he is the CEO at New Paleah, which trades construction materials.
Eugene Mbugua is a Kenyan television producer. He is known for creating the shows Young Rich and producing reality shows like Sol Family, Being Bahati and The Real Housewives of Nairobi.