Radio Fortune Africa – Cantona Joseph

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Veteran Kenyan media personality and actor Jimmi Gathu. PHOTO/@jimmigathu/Instagram

Veteran Kenyan media personality and actor Jimmi Gathu has candidly shared the emotional and social challenges he faced after losing his job in 2016, revealing how friends mocked and deserted him during his time of need.

Speaking during a candid conversation with a local media station on Friday, July 18, 2025, Gathu disclosed that he was declared redundant at the peak of his career, a move that left him stunned and unprepared.

Additionally, Gathu revealed that up until his firing, he had never experienced unemployment in 26 years. He explained that after losing his job, he began calling people to let them know he was out of work.

“2016 nilifutwa kazi and by that time I had never been unemployed for 26 years, alafu after hapo nilianza kupigia watu simu kuwaambia nilitoka kule sikuwa na sema nimefutwa, na walikuwa wananiambia nikisia kitu nitakuambia.,” he revealed.

“Yule mwenye alisema watu walikata kushika simu it happens, hapo ndio unajua who your real friends are, My phone stopped ringing, people changed. People whom I paid debts for, I paid school fees for kuna watu niliwa jenga walienda.“

Mockery

The aftermath of his job loss was marked by a stark realisation about the nature of his relationships.

Gathu noted that many friends, who once benefited from his generosity, turned their backs on him. In a particularly hurtful incident, he borrowed Ksh1,000 from a friend he had previously assisted with substantial amounts, only for that friend to mock him by sharing the request with others.

“Public figures who go down have it the hardest because we become the joke, kuna friend yangu mmoja nilimsort wakati nilikuwa poa, aliingia kwa gari yangu akilia akaniambia anafungiwa nyumba hizo enzi, vile vitu zilikuwa down nilimwomba Ksh1000 akanipatia na the next day akanipigia simu kuniitisha hiyo pesa na mimi nilikuwa nimeempea like Ksh 300k or Ksh 400k, lakini yeye alinidai Ksh1000,” he narrated.

“Nikakopa kwa friend mwengine mwenye aliambia wenzake namwomba Ksh 1000 lakini kuna watu walikuwa wazuri.”

He added that there came a time when he had to accept that he was Jimmy Gathu and admit that he had hit rock bottom, then decide whether to stay there or rise again.

“I always tell people you have to accept, ilifika time nika accept mimi ni Jimmy Gathu, nimekubali nimechapa chini either niendele kuchapa chini, nibaki hapo ama nipandee,” he added.

Bouncing back

Demonstrating resilience, Gathu eventually made a comeback by establishing his own communications consultancy, JG Inc., and securing acting roles.

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