This archive report was first published on 13 August 2019.
On August 12, 2019, a controversy surrounding contortionist Wendy Waeni's exploitation by her former manager Joe Mwangi took a new turn after her mother, Magdaline Syombua, came clean about receiving a small amount of money from him.
Speaking to Radio Jambo, Ms Syombua revealed that Mr Mwangi used to give her Sh20,000 periodically, which she described as 'a small amount'.
She explained that she tolerated Mr Mwangi's role in her daughter's life because she wanted a good future for Wendy.
Ms Syombua's admission comes after Wendy appeared on the Jeff Koinange Live show, where she claimed to have been exploited by her former manager despite her global acclaim.
Wendy alleged that Mr Mwangi did not share the money generated from her talent, leading to a social media uproar and an investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigation.
Wendy and her mother live in a single room in Huruma, where Ms Syombua sells sweets and cigarettes to make ends meet.
After Wendy's allegations, Mr Mwangi reportedly contacted Ms Syombua and apologized for his actions, seeking to resolve the matter and continue working together. However, Wendy and her mother are not interested in working with him anymore.
