While many celebrities have inspiring stories of rising from financial hardship and overcoming being broke, the opposite also happens, where some fall deeper into financial struggles despite their fame.
It further becomes frustrating when they ask for financial assistance from Kenyans but fail to bounce back from their struggles, leaving their supporters feeling duped and disappointed.
This article will look at some celebrities who have appealed for aid but stil have not made a comeback on the scene and are still battling their struggles, hoping to make a comeback one day.
Henry Desagu
Henry Desagu, is a Kenyan comedian and content creator renowned for his humorous skits and online presence. He gained prominence through his engaging videos, which resonated with a wide audience.
In November 2024, Desagu was reported to be facing a concerning health episode when he was found wandering disoriented on Thika-Mangu Road in early November 2024. A bystander recognized him and rushed him to Thika Level 5 Hospital for medical attention.
Despite receiving help and reassurance that he was fine, Desagu’s mental health appeared to worsen as in February 2025, he was once again seen in a confused state, sparking continued concern over his well-being.
Reports indicate that a Kshs 1 million fundraiser is underway to cover rehab admission costs. Despite receiving support, Desagu has faced difficulties in fully recovering from his health challenges.
Magix Enga
Super Producer Magix Enga was once a celebrated beatmaker, but his promising career took an unexpected turn and came to a halt in 2022.
Magix opened up about struggling with depression and financial challenges, appealing to his fans and politicians for support for his young family. He promised a remarkable comeback that would be one for the books.
Media personality Mzazi Willy M Tuva was among those who extended a helping hand to Magix, urging Kenyans to give him time to restrategize.
In 2023, he announced a comeback, but toward the end of the year, an altercation with an unidentified individual raised doubts about the certainty of the amends he had promised.
Currently, he is still producing music, but his career is yet to return to its former glory.
Omosh Kizangila
Tahidi High actor Joseph Kinuthia, popularly known as Omosh Kizangila, was celebrated for his witty personality and became a beloved figure on Kenyan screens.
In 2021, he revealed that he was struggling financially and homeless, prompting Kenyans to rally together in large numbers to crowdfund for him, eventually gifting him a three-bedroom house in Malaa.
Less than a year later, he was back online pleading for financial assistance again, claiming that he had lost everything and that his marriage was over.
Omosh, who had once shared that he earned as much as Kshs 150,000 on weekends during his Tahidi High days, was reportedly battling alcoholism, which led to the mismanagement of over a million shillings he had received in donations from concerned Kenyans.
Kimani Mbugua
Former TV presenter Kimani Mbugua was known for his youthful reporting, but his career came to an abrupt halt in 2020 due to his struggle with bipolar disorder.
What followed was a series of health struggles, where he faced manic episodes and moments of complete unawareness of his surroundings.
In 2023, he publicly revealed that he was homeless, appealing to Kenyans for support. He then disappeared from the limelight, only to resurface at the Mathari Hospital, where he appealed for help once again. Kenyans rallied together to assist him as he sought to readjust to life after his discharge.
Mbugua seemed to be on the path to recovery, but he soon relapsed, prompting the intervention of media personality Oga Obinna and former governor Mike Sonko in 2024, who stepped in to take him to rehab.
Kimani was admitted to a rehabilitation facility in Mombasa, where he has remained since. His story is a heartbreaking tale of a media star’s fall during the prime of his career, but many remain hopeful for his recovery.
