He has become the face of hope for thousands of struggling Kenyans, but Eric Omondi has now revealed the devastating price he pays for being a national ‘bridge’ for the poor.
In a raw and deeply emotional interview on Friday, December 19, the comedian nearly collapsed into tears as he opened up about the “trauma” of his Sisi Kwa Sisi initiative.
What began as a grassroots movement to help the needy has turned into a relentless digital onslaught of tragedy that Eric says keeps him awake at night, haunted by the stories of those he cannot save.
“So hiyo kitu is traumatising,” a visibly shaken Eric said, reflecting on the weight of the messages flooding his phone.
“Nitasimama aje na Wakenya (How will I stand with Kenyans)? How can I sustain their… hizi vitu ndogo ndogo ziko hapa,” he added, lifting his phone to symbolize the thousands of pleas for help.
The self-styled ‘President of Comedy’ explained that his inbox has become a graveyard of heartbreaking stories, ranging from mothers losing their children to families facing immediate starvation.
“Kuna wamama hapa, watoi wengine wanakufa manze (There are mothers here whose children are dying),” he said, his voice cracking.
“I cannot go on live every time. I can’t show everything.”
While the public sees the viral success stories—the hospital bills paid and the houses built—Eric revealed that the vast majority of his work happens in the shadows, where the emotional load is heaviest.
He issued a blistering challenge to his critics and members of the press who question his emotional outbursts.
“Mkiona naget emotional, siku moja watu wa media mchukue hii phone yangu mkae nayo 6 hours (If you see me getting emotional, one day media people should take this phone of mine and stay with it for 6 hours). Go through it once.”
He believes that just a few hours spent reading the unfiltered desperation of a nation would explain why he often reaches a breaking point.
Despite the toll on his mental health, Eric insists he has no plans to stop. He described the Sisi Kwa Sisi initiative as a divine assignment that has outgrown him as an individual.
“We have influence, God has given us the numbers. It has become something God gave to Eric Omondi. It has become a bridge where mothers can come and cry,” he stated.
However, his admission has sparked a nationwide conversation about the mental health of activists and the sustainability of private citizens stepping in where government systems have failed.
As the “bridge” for the suffering, Eric Omondi is learning the hard way that when an entire nation leans on one man’s shoulders, the weight can be enough to break even the strongest of spirits.
