"We're not giving up": Kaluma Boy shares heartfelt health update on father
This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.
- Kaluma Boy posted a heartfelt message on Facebook pledging not to give up on his father's recovery journey
- The TikTok teen rose to fame caring for his stroke-stricken dad Zachary, who suffered a severe stroke in August 2024
- The update comes amid a public fallout over KSh 5.4 million raised by Kenyans for the family
Kaluma Boy, the Kenyan teenager who captured the nation's heart with videos of himself caring for his bedridden father, is back in the spotlight after sharing a new update on his dad's health.
In a Facebook post on Monday, August 18, Kaluma wrote that recovery was proving difficult but that he remained committed to showing up for his father every single day.
Was Kaluma Boy's father neglected?
"We may not know exactly how long the journey will take, but we're not giving up," he wrote, adding that the family was choosing to celebrate every small improvement along the way.
The post was accompanied by a photo of him and his father, seemingly taken at their home.
Who is Kaluma Boy and why is he trending?
Kaluma's story first gripped Kenyans in late 2024 after he began sharing raw, unfiltered videos of himself feeding, bathing and tending to his father, who had suffered a severe stroke in August that year.
At the time, Kaluma was a student at Karima Boys High School and was supplementing his family's income through casual farm work, including tea plucking, in Othaya.
The videos resonated deeply across the country, prompting a wave of support from well-wishers and TikTokers who visited the family home.
Bishop Ben Kamau of Jesus Celebration Ministry, popularly known as Muthee Kiengei, led a major fundraising effort that Kaluma later confirmed raised approximately KSh 5.4 million.
The money went towards land, construction of a home, medical expenses and support for Kaluma's education.
The goodwill, however, later gave way to public tension. Kaluma raised concerns about unresolved arrears and therapy costs, prompting widespread online questions about where the donated funds had gone.
Bishop Kiengei pushed back firmly against allegations of mismanagement, insisting that all money was either deposited into family accounts or handed over in cash.
He also noted that Kaluma had been awarded a full digital marketing scholarship at the East African University but claimed that the TikToker never attended his classes.
Kenyans react
Kenyans reacted to Kaluma's latest post with a mix of encouragement and tough love:
@David Mwangi:
"Tulichanga pesa juu ya Babako; anything you do, consult your father, bro...Let it be for the interest of that man"
@James W Gitonga:
"Kaluma, you really tried where you could; najua kuangushana na Hawa mabigfish haijakua rahisi. God atakuinua still."
@Wambui Wanjiru:
"I just see some comments and am like ....this guy explained where the money is can you give him a break guys ....let him be"
@Nathaniel Kibebe:
"My advice as a fellow man is that you are not disabled, so hustle like other men. Enda home ulime viazi."
@Daniel Wambugu:
"It's better to start a business than luxury that its not manageable.by now you could afford everything by yourself"
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.