2023 saw some celebrities fall from grace to grass with some getting so broke that they couldn’t even afford to put bread on the table.
Some celebs made bad investment choices, others squandered their fortunes while others simply couldn’t cope with the tough economic times blamed on the Kenya Kwanza government.
More celebrities got broke in 2023 compared to 2022 when just about five were impoverished.
Below are the eight celebs who ended up in penury this year:
Magix Enga
Magix Enga came out to publicly plead for financial assistance in October 2023.
The music producer lamented that poverty had attacked him like armed robbers, denying him the ability to fend for himself and those who depend on him.
“Right now I have a one-month-old baby boy who is depending on me. I tried to pull myself together but the studio I was working was shut down because of rent issues,” Magix Enga lamented.
“Our president Dr. William Samoei Ruto I can urge you to please help me in whatever support you can starting from the music industry to my colleagues,” he added.
Eric Omondi, who has been leading philanthropic initiatives to help Kenyans in financial distress, refused to come to the rescue of the broke music producer.
The comedian-turned-philanthropist while speaking during an interview with a local news outlet said he was aware of Magic Enga’s situation but he chose to steer clear of him because of his links with satanic cult, Illuminati.
Director Tiger
Another music producer who got broke in 2013 is Director Tiger.
Tiger has worked with music heavyweights like Bahati, Christina Shusho, Willy Paul, Ringtone, DJ Mo among others.
The video director is the creative mastermind behind some of the most beloved gospel songs of our time, including ‘Mama’ by Bahati, ‘Tenda Wema’ by Ringtone Apoko and Christina Shusho, ‘Lala Salama’ by Willy Paul, ‘Unanifanya Ning’are’ by Christina Ashusho, just to name a few.
In an interview with Mungai Eve in May 2023, Director Tiger pleaded for financial help from Kenyans revealing that he was flat broke.
“I am just requesting my musicians wale nimesupport, na wanajua nimewasupport out of love since day one, wanisupport wanipee kazi niwezi kujipatia mkate mi mwenyewe,” Tiger said.
“Nakuanga sipenzi kuomba na siskii vizuri nikiomba mtu ata aninunulie lunch ama anilipie place ya kulala. I am asking also my fans pia wanisupport anyone mwenye anaskia kunisupport unaweza nisupport na anything you can,” he added.
Visita
Nixon Wesonga popularly known as Visita has been extremely poor for a very long time despite producing hits like ‘Fimbo Chapa’, ‘Kamua Leo’. He also boasts of ‘Mapepo’ hit song.
The poverty-stricken music producer-cum-musician has been completely broke since 2021 when he first publicly pleaded for assistance to pay rent.
In May 2021, Visita publicly asked members of the public for financial assistance after he failed to pay rent for his Roysambu apartment.
Visita’s situation hasn’t improved since 2021 when he pleaded for financial assistance.
In an October 2023 interview with Mwafreeka Mwaf on his Iko Nini podcast, the musician blamed his financial woes on a popular music mogul whom he claimed didn’t pay him his dues.
Visita further said he had literally been surviving on air, lamenting that hunger had forced him to starve like Shakahola victims.
“Ever since nko huku Nairobi, I have been struggling to survive bro. Ata as we speak, si jokes, today is my fourth day sijadishi, si jokes. But hainishtui ju nishazoea ata ukiniuliza mbona nimekonda,” Visita said.
Brian Chira
TikTok sensation Brian Chira’s financial woes started in July 2023 when he was arrested for defaming internet personality Azziad Nasenya.
Chira appeared before Kibera Law Courts on July 31, 2023, and was released on a cash bail of Ksh50,000 with an alternative of a bond of Ksh100,000.
Speaking to the press outside Kibera Law Court, Chira’s lawyer Michael Masinde, said his client was fundraising to get the bail money.
“The client is fundraising at the moment, we are hopeful that he will manage to raise the cash bail.”
Chira’s financial situation got worse and TikToker Nyako Pilot fundraised for him to have a roof over his head.
Nyako held a fundraiser for Chira and assured him that she would support him and even vowed to find a way to take him to Europe.
“We are going to start with a place to stay. So that you are stable. A stable home is the most important thing for you now. A place you call home hata kama ni room moja. But you know when I go there I’m going to have peace of mind than leo uko hapa,” Nyako said in a TikTok video.
However, after Nyako fundraised her him, Brian Chira went on to insult the Germany-based TikToker downplaying her financial help.
“She is not my mother. She does not care about me. Do you think I care about Nyako? Nilie juu ya rent? There are six billion people in the world. Kwani ni yeye pekee yake gifter? People came and went. Si beg rent, Nyako ukiskia kama utalipa rent ya hii mwezi utalipa na kama hutaki uwache. You think I care, I owe her nothing,” Chira ranted in a TikTok video.
@lovelicious_e Kenyans never disappoint. Chira took nyako in Bigdaddy’s court #foryoupage #kenyantiktok #nyakopilot #nyakoinkenya #mwiti #viralvideo #funnyvideos #fyp #fypage #viraltiktok #lovelicious_e #fypviral #life #bigdaddy ♬ original sound – Lovelicious
Kimani Mbugua
Kimani Mbugua pleaded for help to raise Ksh200,000 to start a business and boost his finances.
TikTok Nyako marshalled her fans and quickly raised more than Ksh420,000 for the journalist.
In a video posted on his Instagram account on September 23, 2023, the former TV star appealed to well-wishers revealing that he had sunk into drug use until two months ago when he called it quits.
“I fell ill in 2020. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and since then my life has fallen apart. I have lost so many things, I have lost so many friends on the journey. People got tired of me and I’m in a position where most people are not willing to help,” he narrated.
PHOTO/Instagram(@iamkimanimbugua)
“I got out of the hospital last week and I feel my mind has gotten back to normal and I don’t want to go back to the place where I used to be. I am homeless. The people I was living with said they couldn’t host me any longer so they told me to look for an alternative,” he added.
Mbugua said he was indebted to the tune of Ksh1.7 million.
“I’m in so much debt… like Ksh1.7 million. Somebody very close to me sold my car. I haven’t had a job in the last two years. I’ve just been wandering and being hosted by different people. But now I’m healing,” he said.
In October 2023, Kimani Mbugua expressed his sincere gratitude to Kenyans who contributed immensely to help him get back on his feet after falling from grace to grass.
DJ Slaver
Slahver Lwangu Kinango aka DJ Slaver got broke and lost the love of his life gospel singer Veronica Wanja alias Nicah the Queen.
DJ Slahver narrated how he ended up being flat broke which prompted Nicah to dump him.
Nicah publicly announced she had parted ways with DJ Slahver in a post on social media on November 28, 2023.
“After so much consideration, @slahverdon and I have decided to go our separate ways. Thank you so much for the love you all accorded us!” she shared.
Speaking during a November 2023 interview with Milele FM’s Ankali Ray, DJ Slahver narrated in detail how he ended up being broke.
DJ Slahver claimed he was organizing an event for RnB superstar Chris Brown when he was conned by a Burundian national based in Dubai and another person.
After being conned, Slahver said he struggled financially and Nicah coped with him for some time until she couldn’t put up with him anymore.
“Unakumbuka kuna event ya Chris Brown nlikua napanga hapo hivi ndo kila kitu ilianza. So hio event nlikua nime partner na jamaa wengine wawili, mmoja Mburundi anaishi Dubai. Kuna mwingine mwenye sikua namjua.
“So sikua najua ni macon so through that show nilikua scammed . Na sijawai enda public ama nifanye nini ju ni kitu ilihusisha polisi, Interpol kwanza ata si polisi wa kawaida. So ilikua an international case so ika niaffect hadi nkaacha job nkaresign, unaona so kuwekua na challenges hapa kule, election ikacome, after election ndo hio siku kuu ikakuja from there tukarecord ile show ya reality, show ile ya ‘Oh! Sister’.
“Nimekua nkibattle depression chini ya maji unaona, so nimepoteza pesa hadi nilikopa pesa za watu ju ya hio show hadi wa sasa sijawai eza kulipa, unaona. So imekua challenge so mi naweza kusema sana sana ni mambo na finances,” DJ Slahver narrated.
He admitted that Nicah tried bearing with his situation, expressing optimism that they could get back together if his finances improved.
“Amevumilia, amenishikilia siwezi muongelea vibaya. Maybe after sometimes after nimerudi, nimesharudisha vitu zangu poa maybe we can reconsider. In the meantime sahi mimi nko kwenye kiwanja focus yangu sana nitafute majob unajua tuko kwa entertainment sahi ndo msimu so wacha tuone Mungu ameandaa nini hapo mbele maybe January tutaweza jua,” he said.
“Kwa hivyo si mamboa ya kucheatiana huko? (The breakup has nothing to do with cheating?)” Ankali Ray asked DJ Slahver.
“Me I have never. Naweza sema nadanganya nkisema any of us amewai cheat. Sometimes nasafiri na Nameless for a whole weekend naacha simu yangu nyumbani so siwezi sema ni mambo na cheating, no,” DJ Slahver stated.
Ngesh
Ngesh of the famed ‘Kaveve Kazoze’ hit song recently revealed she was struggling to make ends meet after a short period of musical success.
The rapper blamed her current woes on a myriad of issues including unfulfilled pledges from politicians like Mike Sonko and Karen Nyamu.
Ngesh and members of her Spider Clan music group opened up about how their music careers hit rock bottom while speaking during an interview that premiered on Jalang’o TV on December 7, 2023.
The group said they had been reduced to job-hunting to survive.
“Maisha imekuwa ngumu because even some promoters came on board but nothing. We were even promised jobs, but see we even have our CVs here with us, we are job searching. Saa izi tuko chini mbaya,” Paul the manager said.
Ngesh, the most famous of the group, weighed in separately lamenting about their current economic situation.
“Unajua pale hivi kwa mtendao watu walichachisha, wakachachisha tuko na doh, tuko na doh lakini eehhhh. Ukipatana na watu huku nje wanasema uko na doh huwezi muambia huna pesa,” she said.
Colonel Mustafa
The most famous celeb who got flat broke in 2023 is Colonel Mustafa.
The rapper, who had been off the grid for a while, suddenly started making headlines in May 2023 after a video of him doing hard labour went viral on social media.
The rapper revealed he had been working as a construction worker for some time and that he was hiding the fact that he had fallen from grace to grass.
Mustafa revealed that he was forced to work as a construction worker because his mother was diagnosed with cancer and her treatment is very expensive.
The rapper appealed to wellwishers for financial aid to help with his mother’s cancer treatment and he received a contribution of Ksh600,00 from Kenyans and Ksh1 million from Jaguar and his close friends.
In November 2023, Colonel Mustafa was forced to explain why his shop was closed despite receiving donations from well-wishers.
Stivo Simple Boy
In June 2023, Stivo Simple Boy and his wife Grace Atieno came out to lament that they were so broke that they were even going without food some days.
Grace claimed that Stivo’s former management MIB was responsible for their predicament.
“Manager wake anampatia stress, yeye anajikondea tu, wakati tulikuwa nae alikuwa ameungaunga tu sasa hivi ni stress ya manager wake, pesa zake na hio account zake. Si yeye ndio anatumia, si yeye ndo anazimanage yani kila kitu manager wake ndio anamanage,” Grace said.
Grace added that Stivo was flat broke.
“Sahi ata ukienda kwa simu yake kuangalia balance huwezi hata kuta shilingi kumi peke yake. Yani ata nkimwambia nitumie hata shilingi hamsini anakuambia hana na ukimuuliza pesa zako ziko wapi anasema manager wangu ndio ako nazo,” she added.
“Kwenye nyumba munakula kweli? Kuna vyakula kweli? (Are you guys even eating? Is there food?)” the interviewer asked Grace.
Stivo’s wife admitted that even eating in their house was a big challenge, revealing that they often sleep on an empty stomach.
“Saa zingine zipo chakula lakini kuna time twakosa saa zingine twapata. Lakini mahali ako sioni kama atasaidika,” she said.
MIB CEO Vaga Genius dismissed Grace Atieno’s claim that the management was responsible for them getting broke.
Eric Omondi came to the help of Stivo when he announced his financial predicament.
The comedian decided to raise money together with his friends to cushion the rapper against tough economic times.
