Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has responded to a viral video showing retired boxing champion Conjestina Achieng in distress, denying claims that he abandoned her and instead blaming repeated interruptions in her care for her continued struggles.

Sonko described the video as painful to watch and said he has been unfairly accused online of turning his back on the former sports star.

“It hurts to hear people say I chased her away—that is not true. The last time I saw her was in December when her family came for her with filmmakers. Since then, she has not been brought back.”

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He said efforts to support Conjestina have been ongoing but inconsistent, adding that stability has often been disrupted when she leaves structured care.

“Every time she starts to stabilise under structured care, she is taken away. And when she leaves, everything falls apart again.”

Sonko also said he has previously offered both financial and logistical support to her family but expressed frustration over what he termed a recurring cycle of progress followed by relapse.

“I have supported them before—facilitation, money, everything. But without consistent care and attention, she ends up back in the same situation.”

In a firm statement, Sonko said he would no longer take her back under his care, urging the family to take full responsibility for her well-being going forward.

“This time, I will not take her back. Let the family take responsibility and understand why we insisted on proper care.”

Despite the controversy, he maintained that Conjestina tends to improve when she is under continuous supervision and structured support.

“Whenever she is with us, she gets better. But when she leaves, things fall apart. That is the painful truth.”

He called on Kenyans to continue praying for the former boxing champion, saying more details would be shared later.

The remarks come amid growing public concern following the viral video, with calls mounting for a coordinated and sustainable approach to support Conjestina Achieng, once one of Kenya’s most celebrated sports figures.