The Testimony of
MCA Tricky{tricky sana}.
This is the story of MCA Tricky — a testimony of resilience, perseverance, and breakthrough beyond poverty into success in education and entertainment. Read and be inspired.
Francis Munyao, popularly known as MCA Tricky, was born in Kibwezi Constituency (Makindu) as the last-born of three children. Life at home was difficult—so challenging that he once shared on radio, “Nilipata home nikunoma.” Despite these hardships, however, he never blamed his parents for the circumstances he grew up in.
His journey of transformation began when people started noticing his potential. Truly, he was no ordinary child. As a young boy in a local school led by headteacher Mr. Mbatia, something special was recognized in him. Francis attended school with almost nothing—sometimes nearly lacking basic necessities—yet he consistently ranked number one in his class. Seeing a brilliance that defied his circumstances, Mr. Mbatia transferred him to Kiamani Boarding School, where a better learning environment would allow his potential to grow.
His academic excellence continued at Kiamani Boarding School, where he sat for his KCPE examinations and scored an impressive 412 marks. The school’s headteacher, together with senior staff, helped “pull strings” that enabled him to join Masai High School on Ngong Road near Karen. It was here that he learned a profound lesson he still believes in today: “Mungu wangu hananga bedroom”—meaning God has no bedroom; He is everywhere and accessible to all who seek Him.
Joining Form One at Masai High marked his first time in Nairobi, and as expected, he again emerged among the top students in his class. However, in Form Two, his sponsorship was suddenly withdrawn, and returning home felt impossible. He remained in Nairobi, surviving on the streets while occasionally staying with a cousin. During this period, he nearly lost direction and even began experimenting with drugs as an escape from the harsh realities of city life.
In the midst of this dark season, he made a simple prayer to God, asking only for a chance to return to school. What seemed like a basic need to many became his deepest prayer. After months of struggling to survive on the streets, Nairobi proved too harsh, and he eventually decided to return home.
When his parents saw him, they assumed he had dropped out of school and begun roaming aimlessly. As he recalls, “It was hard to convince them otherwise.” Fortunately, he later joined Kiangine Mixed Secondary School
One day, while going about his business, he came across a school document containing the Maasai High School secretary’s phone number. He immediately called, secured an appointment, and traveled back to Nairobi.
Upon presenting his academic results, the school director happened to be present. After reviewing his performance, he made history by becoming the first student to be readmitted to Maasai High School.
It was at Maasai High School that MCA Tricky discovered and recognized his talent for comedy after performing a skit that made parents laugh and genuinely enjoy the moment.
His turning point came on a day that looked ordinary. He had escorted a friend to audition for Churchill Show, never imagining that destiny was quietly calling his own name. He was not on the list. He had not rehearsed. He had not even planned to step on that stage. But opportunity has a way of locating courage. When he was pushed to try, he stepped forward with nothing but raw talent and the stories of the streets he knew too well. His humor was not forced; it was lived. His jokes carried truth. The audience laughed, the judges noticed, and in that unexpected moment, a star was born.
The First Show (2016) January 16, 2016. Carnivore Grounds. Churchill Show auditions. Francis—now calling himself "MCA Tricky"—took the stage in second-hand shoes and borrowed confidence. No credits. No name. Just a boy who knew what hunger tasted like.
His set? "How to Survive Nairobi Without Money." He demonstrated entering a matatu like you own it. Eating at a kibanda while complaining about "too much salt" to get extra meat. Sleeping in cyber cafés with fake "America emails."
The crowd roared. Then he dropped the line that broke the internet:
A fan recorded it. Posted it. By morning, #MCATricky trended #1 in Kenya. By week's end: 2 million views. first show changed everything. The boy who begged for bread was now getting paid to be himself.
The Fame (2016–2019) From that viral moment, MCA Tricky became unstoppable. Churchill Show regular—every weekend, national TV. Corporate MC gigs paying more than his mother's yearly income. Radio stations fighting to book him. Social media explosion—Kenyans shared his clips like gospel.
But here's what fans didn't see: while trending on stage, MCA Tricky was still grinding in class. JKUAT. Mechanical Engineering. 8 AM lectures after 2 AM shows. Assignments between sound checks. Exams during tour season.
"People thought I was just a comedian," he says. "They didn't know I had a deadline: graduation."
The Graduation (2019) December 2019. Jomo Kenyatta University. Francis Munyao walked across that stage in graduation gown—while holding his Churchill Show award. The photos broke the internet again. This time, the caption wrote itself: "From Street Boy to Graduate."
Class of 2019. BSc Mechanical Engineering. "I graduated not because I was special, but because I refused to choose between my gift and my degree. Comedy fed my spirit. Education secured my future."
"The same hands that once begged for bread now held a degree. The same mouth that knew hunger now spoke on national radio. What God has transformed, no one can undo."
The same mouth that once begged for bread had spoken on radio. The same hands that slept on concrete now held a degree. The same boy who ran from poverty had run straight into his purpose.