Kenyan Fashion designer Shiyenze Khasoha has denied claims by two of her close friends that she has been faking cancer.
Ms. Khasoha has been on the spotlight after Mr. Philip Oketch and Ms. Joy Kakya, who also acted as her caregivers, came forward alleging that the popular fashion designer does not suffer from ovarian cancer as she claims.
However, Shiyenze has now defended herself in a statement that she posted on Instagram calling the claims made against her unfortunate. She maintains that she was diagnosed in March last year with Epithelial Carcinoma commonly known as ovarian cancer.
Her battle with the disease, she says, became strenuous to her financially making seek the support of the public. This forced her to start a funds drive campaign that saw local celebrities come in to help her by amplifying her story.
She claims that the funds’ drive was able to raise Sh600, 000 and not sh2million as is being claimed.
Regarding the video aired on Citizen TV on Wednesday night, she says that it has been edited to fit the narrative of the persons accusing her of faking cancer, reported Nairobi News.
“There have been numerous claims on social media and most recently a story on Citizen TV claiming that I may have faked having cancer. The allegations are unfortunate. In March 2018 I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and when funds became a challenge I approached the public for support.”
The designer who has worked with BBC journalist Larry Madowo when he hosted The Trend on NTV added, “The public has been extremely supportive and so far we have raised Ksh600, 000 and not the 2M being purported. For now, I am advised to concentrate on my treatment which I will. God willing I will be able to clarify this whole circus once I conclude with the medical process.”
Oketch and Kakya have reportedly recorded have since reported the matter to Parklands Police Station under OB (OB No 62 of 8/07/2019).
This is not the first time that an ailing female personality has been accused of faking an illness. About a year ago the interwebs were ablaze with news that former media personality Njambi Koikai was allegedly faking that she had Endometriosis.
