Captain Sammir criticises TikTokers for moving on too quickly after Zack Apela’s death
By Steve Ireri, July 5, 2026TikToker Captain Sammir has criticised some members of the TikTok community, accusing them of moving on too quickly following the death of fellow content creator Zack Apela, despite the late influencer’s body remaining in a mortuary in the United States as his family continues efforts to raise funds for its repatriation.
Speaking during a live session on Sunday, July 5, 2026, Sammir expressed disappointment with several TikTokers whom he claimed had initially appeared devastated by Zack’s death but had since resumed their normal lives, including attending social events and sharing entertainment content online.
According to Sammir, only one person close to Zack continues to genuinely mourn him, while many others who publicly displayed grief in the days immediately after his death have since shifted their focus to enjoying themselves.
“Now I only see one person genuinely mourning Zack. Those TikTokers, like Nyakwar Janeko, who were very close to him and cried so much in the first few days after his death, even to the point of almost fainting,” he said.
He claimed that some creators who had cried openly following Zack’s passing were now attending the Summertides Beach Festival in Malindi, saying their actions suggested they had quickly put the tragedy behind them.
“They have now gone to the Summertides Beach Festival in Malindi and are enjoying life,” he added.
Captain Sammir singled out TikToker Nyakwar Janeko, claiming she had been among Zack’s closest friends and had appeared deeply heartbroken in the immediate aftermath of his death.
He recalled how emotional she had been, saying there were moments when she nearly fainted while mourning Zack, making her recent attendance at the coastal event surprising to him.
Sammir argued that while Zack’s friends were enjoying themselves, the late TikToker’s body was still lying in a mortuary in the United States awaiting repatriation to Kenya.
“As for Nyakwar, of all the people, she was the closest to him. I remember she was nearly fainting after Zack died, but now she is in Malindi enjoying herself, yet she is even too old for such things. Meanwhile, Zack Apela is still lying in a mortuary in the United States,” he said.
He further claimed that some of the creators now enjoying themselves had previously benefited from Zack’s generosity, claiming they were now spending money and living comfortably despite the family still struggling to bring his body home.
Captain Sammir, however, said his former girlfriend was among the few people he believed were genuinely grieving Zack’s death because of the close relationship they had shared.
According to him, Zack had also shown kindness to her during his lifetime by gifting her on her birthday, something Sammir said demonstrated the bond they had built.
“Those same TikTokers are now enjoying the money and gifts he generously gave them here on TikTok before he died. They have all moved on with life. My ex-lover is the only person I believe is genuinely mourning Zack because they were very close, and Zack even gifted her on her birthday,” he shared.
Families appeal
Captain Sammir’s comments come just days after Zack Apela’s family announced that the popular TikToker will be buried at his ancestral home in Ahero, Kisumu County, once his body is repatriated from the United States.
He also revealed that the burial has been tentatively scheduled for July 18, 2026, although the date remains subject to the successful mobilisation of the required funds.
“We also agreed that he will be buried back home in Ahero. The committee agreed that the burial will tentatively be on July 18. It’s not final because it depends on a lot of things, including finances, which is the biggest thing,” Dr Solo said.