“Stop The Jokes”- Bahati Addresses Emotional Turmoil Over Viral Parental Claims

Kenyan musician Kevin Kioko, popularly known as Bahati, has publicly responded to the intense viral social media frenzy involving two elderly individuals who have separately claimed to be his long-lost biological parents, urging them to respect his late mother’s memory.

Taking to his official Instagram page on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, a visibly distressed Bahati expressed his confusion and pain, stating:

“Lakini wacheni jokes. Wacheni wazazi wangu wa pumzike kwa amani (But stop the jokes. Let my parents rest in peace),” he wrote, highlighting his shock over the unsolicited public claims.

Conflicting Claims Emerge

The controversy escalated after two separate videos went viral. First, a woman claimed to be Bahati’s biological mother, stating she took him to a children’s home because she “could not afford to raise him” and believed he would have a better life.

“Bahati, mimi ni mama yako, nakuja mbele yako kukuomba msamaha, although you were told your mother died. Mimi nilikuzaa na nikakupeleka children’s home. Sikuwa na uwezo, ndo maana nikakupeleka children’s home,” she pleaded, ready to take a DNA test.

Shortly thereafter, an elderly man claimed to be his biological father, citing similar poverty as the reason for the abandonment.

“Bahati, I am asking for your forgiveness. I am your father… I knew it would be good for you because if I threw you away, you probably would not be alive,” the 69-year-old man, who stays in Western Kenya, said, adding that Bahati’s mother was also alive and looking for him.

Bahati’s Dilemma: A 25-Year-Old Memory

Bahati’s response underscored the personal trauma caused by the conflicting accounts, as he maintains he personally attended his mother’s funeral over two decades ago.

“But my mum died over twenty-five years ago. I personally attended the burial and witnessed her grave. This woman has confused me more. So what should I do?” he shared, expressing the emotional pain of having to revisit a painful part of his childhood.

“This is a Serious Issue, Not a Stunt”

The musician later addressed the claims again, vehemently denying that the situation was a publicity stunt, despite his reputation for high-profile “kiki” (dramatic antics).

“Kenyans najua mimi ni king wa kiki, nimewapiganga vipindi miaka mingi, I confess, but I am not involved in this one,” he stated, insisting on the seriousness of the matter.

He revealed that his older brother had informed him that the woman had been trying to reach their family for five years, lending weight to the unsettling claims.

“This is a serious issue; it might look like a joke, but it is very emotional,” he said.

Bahati acknowledged that the possibility that his mother might be alive would “completely change his life.” He confirmed he is still processing the emotional shock and guiding his children through the confusion, but suggested he would not brush it off. “I do not know, should I pursue this, get DNA? I do not even have the woman’s contact,” he admitted.