Why didn’t I watch them? Khalwale’s daughter regrets ignoring mother’s TikToks at funeral
By William Muthama, August 21, 2026Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale’s daughter Gift Atubukha has shared an emotional tribute to her late mother, Gloria Sekeiyan Khalwale, recalling the TikToks, beauty routines and family moments she will miss most.
Speaking during Gloria’s burial on Friday, August 21, 2026, Gift struggled to hold back her emotions as she remembered the final moments before her mother was taken to hospital.
She said she and her sisters cleaned the house expecting Gloria to return and find everything in order.
Sadly, she never came back.
“I’m trying to tell myself it’s okay, but it’s not,” Gift said.
Gift recalls TikToks
Gift then turned to one of the seemingly ordinary memories that has become painful in her mother’s absence.
She recalled how Gloria would regularly send her TikTok videos and admitted she sometimes ignored them.
“I’ll miss the TikToks you used to send. I’m regretting why I didn’t use to watch them and pretend I’ve watched them,” she said.
Gift remembered how much her mother enjoyed TikTok and how she would use jokes and trending videos to connect with her children.
She said she would miss those moments, particularly when Gloria discovered a joke and asked whether her children knew about it.
Gift also remembered her mother’s love for beauty.
Gloria would send photos of herself in new clothes, hairstyles and makeup styles she had discovered, as well as showing off perfumes and jewellery.
Children carry legacy
Gift described her mother as someone with an “abundance mentality”, saying Gloria believed in sharing and trusted that there would always be more.
She said this was one of the qualities she loved most about her mother and hoped to carry it into her own life.
Gift also reflected on her siblings, saying each of them carried a different part of Gloria’s personality.
In Engine Kukaste, she said she would see her mother’s “golden egg”, while Olivia Sabayi reminded her of Gloria’s cheeky side.
She described Flavia Shimuli as a reflection of her mother’s go-getter nature.
In Velma Nasirbanda, she said she would see her mother’s softness, particularly the way she tried to control her anger.
She described Maura Makatse as strong-willed like their mother, joking that Gloria could be stubborn once she had made up her mind.
She also praised Flavia and Sonia Inuni’s cooking, saying their food would remind her of the effort Gloria put into preparing meals for the family.