A handful of Kenyan celebrities are flat broke or heavily indebted almost going bankrupt, they are just keeping appearance but their bank accounts are empty.
Being famous mostly comes with being wealthy if you are wise and prudent with your money. However, some celebs have lead lifestyles that drove them into poverty.
We highlight celebs who made poor investments, waste their wealth on items that made no sense to most people, and sometimes lived above their means, putting them farther into debt.
This post includes the top 12 broke celebrities who went bankrupt as well as those who are in debt:
1.Eric Omondi
Eric Omondi is heavily indebted, his financial woes came to light in December 2021 when his Range Rover was nearly auctioned.
The Range Rover Sport supercharged V8 model had been at Kings Rovers garage for a long time because Eric failed to pay for its maintenance fee of slightly over Ksh50,000.
The mechanic who is also the manager of the garage was frustrated revealing that Eric was not picking his calls whenever he tried to get in touch with him.
Speaking during an interview with YouTube Mungai Eve, the mechanic estimated that the comedian’s Range Rover at its current condition was worth about Ksh7 million.
He however stated that if Eric failed to pick it up by 3rd January 2022 he would be forced to auction his Range Rover for a meagre Ksh1.1 million.
Eric has also been exposed by several people for failing to pay them. The most recent case involves his former stylist Melina who is demanding to be paid Ksh324,400.
Melina told blogger Edgar Obare that Eric owed her Ksh424,400 but only paid her Ksh100,000 and has since been taking her round and round.
The stylist lamented that the comedian is heavily indebted and instead of paying some of his debts he keeps spending the little money he makes pleasing women.
2. Weezdom
Bahati’s former brand manager used to be a musician but nowadays he has been reduced to being a mere socialite engaging in all sorts of publicity stunts.
Weezdom moved in with his sister after he broke up with Manzi Wa TRM who was hosting him. The singer is reportedly flat broke.
Manzi Wa TRM has broken up with Weezdom after he started warming up to his ex girlfriend Mylee Staicey whom he had called a prostitute.
He publicly apologized to Mylee Staicey, a move that put him at loggerheads with Manzi Wa TRM who ultimately decided to dump him.
After the breakup, Manzi Wa TRM appeared in a video with Weezdom’s belongings as she told her to go pick his items that he left at her house.
3. Omosh
Omosh resorted to be a serial beggar after squandering the money he made during his acting stint on Citizen TV drama series Tahidi High.
In early 2021, Kenyans responded overwhelmingly to help Omosh when he pleaded for financial help after his dire situation was highlighted on the media.
And come June 2021, Omosh again asked Kenyans for financial help after receiving nearly Ksh1 million from well-wishers.
The money aside, a three-bedroom house located in Malaa, off Kangundo Road was also constructed for Omosh by well-wishers.
The three-bedroom house was gifted to Omosh by a well-wisher namely Linnet Kathy Kathambi after another well-wisher gave him a piece of land.
Media personality Felix Odiwuor aka Jalang’o was also instrumental in settling Omosh and his family.
Omosh quickly squandered the money raised for him and he went back to begging. At one point he was duped into attempting to sell the house that Kenyans built for him, and he fell for it.
Kenyans got tired of Omosh’s begging and angrily slammed him the last time he decided to beg again. The former Tahidi High actor is an alcoholic who won’t stop being broke unless he gets over his alcohol addiction.
4. Githeri man
Githeri Man, real name Martin Kamotho, is broke but very famous, he recently lamented that he is living in poverty because of unfulfilled promises.
Kamotho shot to fame after he was pictured carrying ‘githeri’ in a transparent polythene bag while waiting to vote during the August 2017 general elections.
He became instant magnet among businesses and corporates who wanted to capitalize on his instant fame to push their products.
Githeri Man received several promises from companies but almost five years on he is still living in squalid conditions in Saba-Saba area of Kayole slums.
He lives in a single room and laments that he is stuck in poverty because of the unfulfilled promises made to him.
But just like Omosh, Githeri Man is also an alcoholic.
5. Consumator
Churchill Show comedian Consumator was reduced to being a caretaker in Ngong after a series of unfortunate events robbed him of his wealth.
Consumator whose real name is Peter Wamwea Alias enjoyed a period of fame and financial stability until 2019 when disaster struck.
The comedian’s woes begun in 2019 after his father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He spent all his money on his dad’s treatment and when Covid-19 struck it was the last nail in his financial coffin.
“As the family’s breadwinner, I used all my saving on my dad’s treatment. After undergoing surgery, he has been going for checkups at least once a week. I had to sell everything I had in my house to pay for my dad’s treatment. Before all these challenges, I used to earn money from emceeing at events and could make my ends meet,” Consumator said in a recent interview.
Consumator is currently employed as a caretaker in Ngong by a member of his church. He does menial jobs to earn a living.
“I called several people, and only one lady from church helped me. She offered me a job as a caretaker at her compound in Ngong, where I have been staying up to now. I do vibarua (menial) jobs such as ploughing, slashing etc. as well. If I don’t get those jobs, I can’t get food but thank God I have a great neighbor who has been supporting me,” said the comedian.
6. Machachari twins
Machachari twins Muthuri and Muthure are living life in abject poverty. The duo was reduced to living in squalor after Citizen TV pulled the plug on Machachari show in 2019.
The twin brothers while speaking to YouTuber Eve Mungai said that their earnings from Machachari supported their family and they had no savings thus when the show was cancelled poverty hit them hard.
“Our mother was sick and could not work. The money paid fees for us and our sister, rent, catered for food among other bills.”
The twins joined Machachari in 2012 after the producers were pleased with how they performed in the auditions.
The Machachari twins who live in Mwihoko also disclosed that they now survive on menial jobs aside from being chalk boys at pool games.
The twins planned on starting another show with their former castmates but Covid-19 pandemic halted their plans.
“We are asking for financial support and any acting jobs,” the twin pleaded with well-wishers.
7. Manzi wa Kibera
Shariffa Sharon Wambui alias Manzi Wa Kibera is very famous and also very broke at the same time. She wastes little money she makes on alcohol and incessant partying.
Manzi wa Kibera became a laughing stock on social media after opening up about her financial woes in January 2022 when she was flat broke and couldn’t even afford to pay Ksh2,500 rent for her mud house in Kibera.
The voluptuous socialite first hinted she was struggling financially on her birthday in December 2021 when she requested her fans to buy her lunch.
8. Onyi
Real Househelps Of Kawangware actor Onyi is wallowing in abject poverty even though he made millions from his acting stint.
Speaking during an interview with YouTuber Shiko Gitau, Onyi blamed his situation on Coronavirus pandemic. He said that he has not been able to secure an acting gig since Covid-19 struck.
The Real Househelps Of Kawangware actor said he used to earn a living solely from his acting stint. When Covid struck he was forced to move from Umoja to Katani where he lives with his sister.
Onyi lamented that he doesn’t have any income at the moment, he said his only work now is home management and street survey – staying at home and making idle rounds in the neighborhood.
9. Kimani Mbugua
Kimani Mbugua had a flourishing career in his 20s at NTV and Citizen TV, but he threw it away and literally became a zombie.
Mbugua landed a job at Nation FM before before he completed his study at Moi University. He became an entertainment reporter and producer at Nation Media Group in 2016.
Mbugua became part of the Trend show while Larry Madowo was still in charge. His star only continued to shine brighter as he joined Royal Media services as a reporter on Citizen TV.
At Citizen TV, Mbugua was well known for his segment ‘Broken News’ where he asked random people on the street funny questions.
After two years at Citizen TV, Kimani Mbugua’s life took a turn for the worst. He opened up on how he fell from grace to grass in his podcast.
The former Citizen TV reporter recalled how things took a wrong turn to having his worst breakup ever, suffering from mental illnesses and losing everything he had built.
“It was a tough relationship, we were both at different spaces in our lives. I think we were at a point where we couldn’t be able to fulfil each other’s needs in the way that we wanted.
“I felt unfulfilled. I wasn’t getting the satisfaction I wanted from the relationship and therefore started cheating. My then-girlfriend found out, it was explosive. I ended up in a situation when I was trying to mend relationships with two people. This led me to the worst break-up ever,” he said on his eponymous Kimani Mbugua podcast.
The nasty breakup left him a broken man, he denounced his Christian faith and became an atheist. He even made attacked SDA church saying it was a cult. It was after this that he was fired from Citizen TV.
In December 2019, Kimani met another girl and proposed to her in February 2020. It was while in this relationship that he started smoking weed and got addicted.
“It was a hurried decision. She had a medical condition. I talked to her dad and planned to have her on my insurance officially. On one fine day in February, I drove home and I decided to smoke Marijuana…I do not know where the idea came from.”
The weed addiction became so severe that Mbugua developed other psychotic illnesses and was later admitted to Mathari Mental Hospital twice since 2020.
10. Stivo Simple Boy
Stivo Simple Boy is also very famous and also very broke. He has been living in abject poverty even though he was making a lot of money, his management had been robbing him.
The rapper’s ex girlfriend Purity Vishenwa complained numerous times that Stivo’s management gave him a raw deal.
Vishenwa said that Stivo had been brainwashed by his management who were taking the bulk of the money he was making.
The rapper’s ex girlfriend revealed that the highest amount of money the management had ever paid Stivo after performing was ksh2,000.
She said Stivo is paid about Ksh50,000 per performance but the management always paid him pocket change.
Vishenwa lamented that the management has brainwashed Stivo that he do whatever he is instructed.
She said the management moved him to a bedsitter in Kayole so that he could be far away from ‘bad’ influence in Kibera, people who like Vishenwa who were trying to enlighten him about being exploited.
Vishenwa said the management tried hard to make Stivo Simple Boy break up with her because she has always fought for him to be paid more money to get him out of poverty.
Stivo has since dumped the old management that exploited him and is now being managed by MIB Africa. Hope he will strike it rich.
11. Marya
Marya was one of the most successful female musician in Kenya in her heydays when she was signed to Ogopa DJs – the most successful music label at the time.
She dominated the airwaves with hit songs like ‘Hey Baby’ with her ex boyfriend Colonel Mustapha, ‘Chokoza’ with Avril among other songs.
Marya signed a five year contract with Ogopa DJs, she was in her early 20s when her music career took off.
Ogopa managed Marya’s music career at all levels, recording and producing her songs and also managed her career – organizing gigs for her.
Marya was orphaned when her deal with Ogopa DJs expired. Speaking during an interview with YouTuber Eve Mungai, she said that the record label refused to renew her contract.
She explained that Ogopa was managing so many artists at the time and were hesitant to renew contracts with some musicians.
All over sudden Marya had no management, she couldn’t secure gigs to earn herself money and she found it difficult to record new songs as she didn’t have the money – she was not saving when her career was at its peak.
Marya struggled to record songs but she didn’t succeed in making any hit song. She got broke and couldn’t even afford to record a song.
“Nilichukua break kidogo…I’ll not lie, it’s not easy…when I approach studios, trying to do audios … sina hiyo budget but watu wanajua huyu ni Marya so they charge me very expensive. Niliona I can’t match to that,” Marya said during an interview with Mungai Eve.
Marya relocated to Dubai with her lover Kevin and got a job there. She however returned to Kenya after her relationship hit rock bottom but she had become a mother.
With no job and a son to take care of, Marya became desperate and got in bad company, she associated with prostitutes and some said she was also selling herself.
Blogger Edgar Obare reported that Marya was working as a prostitute at a city brothel though she disputes this saying that is not the whole truth entirely.
“Everything I did I did it for the sake of my son, maybe people will never understand it but kuna level unafika you want your child to be happy. Nikajipata nimeassociate with a bad group of women na hivyo ndo jina ya Marya ikaendanga tu hivyo. So am struggling to come back pole pole tu,” Marya stated.
12. Ezekiel Apindi
Former Kiss TV Presenter Ezekiel Apindi who used to host ‘Jah Rise’ show has been reduced to a living in the streets of Rongai.
Apindi used to be TV presenter and a musician, he was known as Mzizi Mbaya as a reggae/dancehall artist.
He is currently languishing in poverty allegedly because of witchcraft. Apini worked as a presenter on Kiss TV for one year before he quit the job due to his enemies’ witchcraft.
The former Kiss TV presenter opened up about his woes while speaking to YouTuber presenter Ali. Apini decried that he was living a miserable life because of witchcraft.
He is currently living in the streets of Rongai and earns a living through selling arts and crafts. The former Kiss TV presenter said that his enemies are still fighting with him and their witchcraft is making him fail terribly in life.
