Heritage plays an important role for Nyamai, who credits his ancestry for his artistic success, his grandmother being an outspoken singer, dancer and storyteller and his mother, a fashion designer, supporting his ambitions early on, being the one who taught him how to draw. Through his grandmother, he learned about his Akamba background. Recently, Nyamai has been using Kikamba titles for his work, creating a larger relevance of his art to local audiences. The use of sisal rope in his mixed media works also points to his interest in pre-colonial African societies. Sisal rope was commonly found and even used as a currency. The image transfers, that are found interwoven in his paintings, also often stem from the pre-colonial or colonial era.

Kaloki Nyamai has shown his work internationally, including at the 2020 Stellenbosch Triennale in South Africa, at the 2022 Venice Biennale in the Kenyan pavilion and, for the first time in Germany, at Galerie Barbara Thumm in 2022.