This archive report was first published on 13 August 2019.
Kenyan gymnast Wendy Waeni has been at the center of a financial controversy after her interview on Jeff Koinange Live, where she revealed her struggles with her manager Joe Mwangi.
According to Wendy, she has been traveling and performing gigs worldwide without receiving any payment, with her mother not receiving a single penny from her performances.
Wendy's claims were made public in an interview on Jeff Koinange Live, where she stated, 'I have performed all over the world but I’ve never gotten a penny from it and that is because of my previous manager (Joe Mwangi). EVER SINCE I STARTED PERFORMING ACROSS THE GLOBE, MY MUM HAS NEVER GOTTEN A SINGLE PENNY.'
Joe Mwangi responded to the allegations on Twitter, denying any wrongdoing and claiming that he had only traveled to Rwanda and not with Wendy for her gigs.
However, Wendy's mother received KSh 100,000 from Joe Mwangi in December 2018, which he claimed was for Wendy's school fees at St. George's. Joe Mwangi also stated that he had to top up the fees as the CS did not pay the full amount.
Joe Mwangi was also accused of confiscating Wendy's phone and deactivating her Instagram account, citing concerns about her online activities. He stated, 'I TOOK HER PHONE BECAUSE OF SOME THINGS SHE WAS DOING WITH THE PHONE. HER MOTHER DIDN’T LIKE THE IDEA AND I TOLD HER IF SHE INSISTED THAT HER DAUGHTER SHOULD HAVE A PHONE, I WOULD BUY HER AN ORDINARY PHONE WITHOUT INTERNET (KABAMBE).'
Joe Mwangi's solution to the controversy was to suggest that Wendy needs guidance and counseling, rather than financial help.
As of now, the DCI is still investigating Joe Mwangi based on Wendy's allegations.
