They call him the man with nine lives, and true to form, controversial car and jet dealer Khalif Kairo has once again bounced back into the limelight, this time locking lips with glamorous beauty entrepreneur Phoina Tosha.
In a video that has been making rounds online, the two are seen getting cosy and seemingly sharing a kiss, sparking a flood of online chatter about a possible romance.
Many are now wondering whether this is a genuine love story or just another publicity stunt in Kairo’s ever-dramatic comeback saga.
Kairo, known for surviving one scandal after another, appears to be rebranding himself, ditching his once-arrogant tone on social media and adopting a calmer, more reflective persona.
His reappearance alongside Phoina, a woman equally familiar with controversy, has reignited public fascination with both personalities.
The socialite and beauty mogul, who runs Phoina Beauty Institute, has long been in gossip columns, from rumours linking her to Winnie Odinga to speculations about cosmetic procedures. Yet, she continues to position herself as a self-made woman, fiercely denying claims of being a “sugar baby.”
Public opinion on Kairo remains divided. Some praise him as an ambitious go-getter, while others dismiss him as a cautionary tale of greed and ego. His history on X (formerly Twitter) is well-documented — full of fiery posts, brash opinions, and online feuds that earned him both fans and foes.
Kairo’s romantic life has also been a rollercoaster. His past entanglements have often ended in public drama, with allegations of promiscuity and hypergamy following him around. At one point, X sleuths claimed he paid an actress to stage an engagement, a rumour that later went up in smoke.
His business troubles began in December 2024, when he was dramatically arrested after three clients accused him of failing to deliver imported vehicles — including a Range Rover, a Honda Vezel, and a Subaru Outback. He was released on bail in January 2025, only to face re-arrest twice more in the following months.
In May 2025, the Kenya Revenue Authority charged his company with tax fraud, though he was released on a KSh 500,000 bond. Some of his cases have since been withdrawn after clients were reimbursed by Kai and Karo Limited, but one still lingers in court, set for mention in December.
Despite all this, Kairo has proven almost untouchable — reinventing himself at every turn. Whether his latest entanglement with Phoina marks a new beginning or another PR manoeuvre remains to be seen.