Award-winning actor and former Big Brother Africa contestant Melvin Alusa has shared a candid look into his life as a single father of seven. Speaking on the Netwalking podcast with Jacquey Nyaminde, popularly known as Wilbroda, Alusa detailed the domestic challenges of managing a large household following his divorce from his wife in Tanzania.
Alusa is a prominent figure in the Kenyan creative industry and is the elder brother of Sauti Sol lead singer Bien-Aimé Baraza. During the interview, he revealed the staggering physical and emotional effort required to maintain a home for his large family.
A Sudden Transition to Solo Parenting
The transition to single parenthood was abrupt for the actor. He found himself as the primary guardian when many of his children were still in their infancy. He recalled the specific ages of his children when the marriage ended.
“When the marriage unfortunately went where it went, my youngest twins had just turned one year,” Alusa stated.
The Struggle for Domestic Stability
Managing such a young and large household required reliable domestic help. However, Alusa’s early experiences were fraught with instability. He described a difficult period with a previous domestic worker who struggled with substance abuse.
“...another maid who was there alikuwa amesha anza kuingia kwa chuoms za bangi na pombe. Nikitoka job ghafla bin vuu nampata hayuko,” Alusa explained.
The situation only improved when he found more consistent support. “Then God sent a lady called Bilhah to me... Bilhah stabilized my house for 2 years, my twins wakagrow.”
The Grooming Marathon
The sheer scale of parenting seven children is best illustrated by the daily grooming routine. Alusa mentioned the exhausting task of cutting his children's nails. With seven children, he faces a total of 140 individual nails in a single sitting.
He noted that by the time he finishes the last child, the first one is often already messy again. Although some of his older children have moved out, he still manages the grooming for the younger four. This still leaves him responsible for 80 individual fingers and toes.
Despite his public profile, Alusa revealed that life after reality television was financially difficult. He faced a period where work was scarce because people assumed he was too expensive to hire. He revealed that he faced eviction three times while living with his children.
“Your value goes up in people's heads and minds,” he explained regarding his time after the reality show. “We can't afford him. He's come from Big Brother. He's too expensive.”
The House of Alusa
Alusa is now documenting his experiences in a new reality show titled House of Alusa. The programme aims to show the authentic daily life of a single father. It covers everything from school preparations to the general household chaos of raising a large family.
