Former Starehe Member of Parliament, Charles Njagua Kanyi, popularly known as Jaguar, has ruled out extending assistance to troubled retired boxer Conjestina Achieng and other financially distressed celebrities.
In an interview with vloggers, Jaguar shared a valuable lesson he learned from his own experiences dealing with individuals requiring rehabilitation. The musician-turned-politician emphasized the importance of individuals having the internal will to change for any rehabilitation efforts to be successful.
Jaguar mentioned that he had previously assisted Conjestina before former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko intervened, expressing regret that despite his efforts to facilitate her rehabilitation, the retired boxer had experienced a relapse. As a former director at the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), Jaguar revealed that he had also given up on rehabilitating his own alcoholic father.
Reflecting on his experiences, Jaguar remarked, “In this world, there are people you can help, and there are those you cannot. I’ve helped Conjestina even before Sonko came to her aid. I have the funds to take someone to rehab if they are struggling with alcoholism, but if the person has not made the decision to change, no matter how many times you take them to rehab, they will relapse. It’s the person’s mindset and intention that drive change.”
When asked about Conjestina’s situation, Jaguar firmly stated that he would not attempt to help her again, saying, “I won’t go back. I helped her before, even yesterday I was with Mike Sonko.”
Regarding music producer Magix Enga, Jaguar revealed that he declined a request from Mzazi Willy M Tuva to assist the financially struggling producer. He emphasized that he would only offer help if he saw a genuine willingness on Magix Enga’s part to change.
Jaguar underscored the importance of personal responsibility, stating, “I told Tuva recently that I can’t get involved. Because you, as a talented individual, keep blaming others for not helping you in your music journey. You need to organize yourself and your business. I won’t assist until the day I see that Magix truly wants to change.”
Jaguar, following in the footsteps of Eric Omondi, is the second celebrity to refuse assistance to Magix Enga. He concluded with advice for fellow musicians and celebrities, urging them to treat their crafts as businesses, invest wisely, and vowing never to help anyone who faces difficulties due to poor decisions.
“I tell these artists, if you don’t plan yourself, don’t come asking us to contribute, because I won’t contribute. I’ve been a director at Nacada, I’ve been an MP, and these artists, you help them, and they will call you when they are caught with drugs or have been involved in a fight in a club. But when they are number one, they sometimes don’t want to acknowledge me as Jaguar. They forget that I’ve been an artist and treat me like I’m old. So let’s drop the pride and understand that music is a business. We shouldn’t contribute every time someone asks,” emphasized Jaguar.
