Former Kenya Prisons officer Jackson Kihara, popularly known as Cop Shakur, has opened up about his struggles since losing his job over his involvement in the Gen Z protests in mid-2025. In a heartfelt Instagram post on Saturday, Shakur revealed that he is drowning in debt, has had his property auctioned, and is facing arrest warrants, marking what he described as the lowest point of his life.
“I’m at my lowest moment. I’ve lost everything. I’m in debt, I’ve been auctioned, I have an arrest warrant against me, and I can’t pay my bills or provide for my daughter,” Shakur wrote.
Despite the turmoil, he clarified that his current financial struggles were not directly linked to losing his job. “After losing my job illegally because of my activism something I’ll never regret I had actually planned myself well. What I’m going through now has nothing to do with losing that job. Things got worse later because of the businesses I invested in.”
Shakur explained that his troubles began after a failed December 2024 event left him over Ksh1 million in debt. Heavy rains ruined the function, followed by a series of car accidents that crippled his car hire business.
Adding to his financial distress, Shakur revealed emotional turmoil after discovering that his wife had cheated on him with his best friend. “My mental health struggles started after my ex-wife cheated on me with my best friend on my own bed. That moment broke me completely.”
The former officer admitted to having suicidal thoughts and several failed attempts, but credited divine intervention for keeping him alive.
Since his interdiction in July 2024, Shakur has faced multiple arrests and ongoing court cases. Just recently, in August 2025, he announced his departure from the Fighting Brutality and Impunity (FBI) group, an activist collective of former security officers.
Shakur’s story has drawn sympathy online, with many Kenyans praising his honesty and resilience amid overwhelming hardship.
