Former Citizen TV presenter Kimani Mbugua on Wednesday elicited debate on Twitter after claiming he had been abandoned by his family at Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital.

In a post on his Twitter account, Mbugua narrated that he was admitted to the country’s premier psychiatric hospital after experiencing a psychotic episode on August 4, 2022.

The journalist said he had been discharged by the hospital on August 6, 2022 but his parents had allegedly opposed it resulting in him being held for many more days at the facility.

Mbugua accompanied the post with a photo in which he is wearing a striped shirt and a navy blue branded Mathari Hospital sweater as he accused his parents of punishing him.

“I appeal to all people who know me to kindly appeal to my parents to let me out of Mathare Hospital. I came here after a brief psychotic episode on the 4th of August and was discharged on the 10th of the same month. My parents have left me here to punish me,” he posted.


However, K24 Digital reported that Mbugua’s mother, Peris Wanjiku, had spoken to them on phone and confirmed that his son’s had indeed being admitted to the hospital in August.

Wanjiku also conceded that his son was discharged on August 10 but the psychiatrist at the facility advised that he needed close monitoring at the facility upon further observations.


According the publication, Wanjiku said Mbugua had one more session of therapy before he can be discharge, assuring that everything was under control at the hospital and at home.

Mbugua rose to the limelight after bagging a job at Nation Media Group’s Nation FM while studying at Moi University and he was later appointed as an entertainment reporter and producer and at one point even co-hosted The Trend with now CNN anchor Larry Madowo.

In 2019 he left NMG for Citizen TV where he hosted various entertainment and comedy segments before his struggles with mental health started and interfered with his career.

In April, the journalist who once had a very promising career, shared his battle with mental health with a local publication and how it emanated his “worst breakup ever” experience.

At Swala Nyeti, we wish Mbugua a quick recovery and hope he will get the best treatment so that he can return to the tv screens and digital spaces to entertain us once more.