Popular TikToker Manzi wa Mombasa recently shocked her fans by admitting she lied about being diagnosed with cervical cancer. The confession came during a testimony at Pastor Victor Kanyari’s church, where she explained the reasons behind her fabricated story.
Manzi, a mother of three who rose to fame partly due to her closeness with the late TikToker Brian Chira, revealed that financial hardship drove her to make up the illness. Despite appearing well-off online, she faced severe struggles, including being locked out of her house over unpaid rent. She told the congregation: “About cancer, I have been facing a lot of challenges in life. As a TikToker, when you look at me online, it is easy for you to think and assume that I do not have any problems. However, I have been going through a lot of struggles, which forced me to come up with the story that I had cervical cancer. Some people came through for me, others started asking me critical questions about the illness which I did not even know about, because that was just a lie. I am sorry guys, nilikuwa napitia mashida which some of them till now have not ended. It was my house that was locked.”
Touched by her story, Pastor Kanyari offered support, gifting her KSh 50,000 to help cover rent and basic needs.
The revelation drew mixed reactions online. Some criticized her for choosing to fake such a serious illness. Comments included: “Of all magonjwa we uliamua kuchangua cancer aki?” and “Do you know how painful cancer is? Cheza Na kitu ingine usitamani cancer.” Others sympathized with her struggles and acknowledged the pressures she faced as a public figure.
