Nairobi News

Journalist Kimani Mbugua has addressed the recent viral footage that captured him struggling with slurred speech during a live session on December 28, 2023.

The incident raised concerns among Kenyans about the media personality’s well-being.

In the live video, Mbugua, visibly distressed, expressed his struggle with balancing the voices in his head, revealing that he battles bipolar disorder.

The journalist, known for his candid approach, had also recorded himself criticizing those who had contributed money to support him after leaving rehab, challenging them to seek refunds.

However, in his latest video, Mbugua clarifies that the purpose behind his earlier recordings was to shed light on the harsh reality of living with mental illness.

He acknowledges the deep and dark aspects of mental health, emphasizing that it is not a glamorous experience and urging people to stop romanticizing it.

“The point of yesterday and all of those videos I have done is to show you guys how deep and dark being mentally ill is. How we hear about billions of voices in our heads, and somehow you still live,” Mbugua explains in the video.

He goes on to express gratitude for the support he has received and reassures his followers that he has not lost his mind. Mbugua candidly admits to having two sides—a stable one and another battling mental health issues.

“I just wanted to show everyone what mental illness looks like. It is not glamorous. Stop glamorizing mental illness. It’s torture without end. And the greatest and the most mysterious thing is I wonder how I will live with it side by side,” he adds.

This latest video comes after Kimani Mbugua’s previous heartfelt plea for assistance in September, 2023 where he shared his ongoing battle with bipolar mood disorder and the challenges he faced, including the loss of his career.

In a subsequent video, Kimani expressed gratitude for the support he received, enabling him to acquire essential tools to rebuild his life, including a phone and a laptop.