Did he steal from a child? Wendy Waeni’s former manager Joe Mwangi speaks out

Joe Mwangi has come out guns blazing to deny allegations leveled at him by 14-year-old Kenyan gymnast Wendy Waeni.

Speaking on Citizen TV’s Jeff Koinange Live, Wendy accused Joe – her former manager – of using and exploiting her talent for his own personal benefit.

Joe on Thursday however dismissed the accusations, further intimating that the minor may have been coached on what to say.

The visibly emotional teen, in the Wednesday night interview, shocked the nation when she revealed that she has not received a single penny from her performances across the globe for the past five years.

She further stated that she has no control over – or even access to – her social media accounts where she has previously been accused of being rude.

Wendy, who has performed for Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta and Paul Kagame, added that she presently shares a one-roomed house with her mother who earns a living by selling sweets and cigarettes at night.

“I’ve been performing all over the world, and right now I live in Huruma because of Joe Mwangi. I’ve performed in Rwanda, Germany, and China…and I’ve not got even a single penny. My mum is really suffering right now, she sells sweets, I live in Huruma in a single-room with her,” she said.

“People are telling me that I’m rude, that I’m a brat, that I post things on Instagram…which I don’t really know. I don’t have access to my social media accounts, it’s Joe Mwangi who controls them.”

In his responses however, coming amidst a storm of social media backlash from a section of Kenyans, Joe – in a tweet to Duncan Ondimu, Principal Prosecution Counsel in the office of the DPP – implied that he would be seeking legal action.

“Kindly make me understand the law that protects me on this whole issue should it turn that someone coached the minor to give mis-leading information on National Television,” read the tweet to Ondimu.

Before i respond to this ,senior @matundura78 ,Kindly make me understand the law that protects me on this whole issue should it turn that someone coached the minor to give mis-leading information on National Telivision. https://t.co/MW2tpZeCs2

— MWAS JOE (@Mwasjoe50) August 8, 2019

He further dismissed Wendy’s claims that she has not received a penny from her performances, posing “which parent in this world will allow his/her kid to be misused for not 1 month, not 1 year, but 5yrs?”

Joe, who alluded to a “scriptwriter” being behind the minor’s narration, also denied ever travelling outside the country with Wendy.

“…it has been said that I (Joe) has travelled all over the world with Wendy. FACT: I have NEVER, NEVER EVER left this country in company of Wendy Waeni. Anybody with any proove (proof) that I have flew out any given time with her, put it here,” he dared.

Short Thread :

1. On the video it has been said that i (Joe) has travelled all over the world with Wendy,
FACT : I have NEVER,NEVER EVER left this country in company of Wendy Waeni.
Anybody with any proove that i have flew out any given time with her,put it here . https://t.co/MW2tpZeCs2

— MWAS JOE (@Mwasjoe50) August 8, 2019

A dare that however came to bite him as TV47 Acting Managing Director Eugene Anangwe posted a video of a past visit by the two to see Rwandan President Paul Kagame; a visit he (Anangwe) covered.

I have the proof and here it is! https://t.co/ZnTadyGv0D

— Eugene Anangwe (@AmEugeneAnangwe) August 8, 2019

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party Secretary General Edwin Sifuna also narrated an incident where “one time Wendy came to Orange house and we cut a cheque for her foundation to buy some play stuff.”

“Weeks later Joe Mwangi came asking us to change it and write the cheque in his name. I cancelled the whole thing,” he added.

I don't know about child trafficking but one time Wendy came to Orange house and we cut a cheque for her foundation to buy some play stuff. Weeks later Joe Mwangi came asking us to change it and write the cheque in his name. I cancelled the whole thing. https://t.co/YvwL6txpBx

— Edwin Sifuna (@edwinsifuna) August 8, 2019

Joe Mwangi declined to respond to our text messages or phone calls for a formal response.