Kenya’s ‘Gen Z Goliath’ Bradley Marongo has opened up about one of the most unusual challenges that comes with his extraordinary height, using an aeroplane toilet.
Marongo, popularly known as the Gen Z Goliath, has revealed that flying can present a particularly uncomfortable problem because the toilets inside passenger aircraft are simply too small for his towering frame.
Speaking during an interview with the BBC on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, Gen Z Goliath said he can take a flight lasting as long as 14 hours without visiting the lavatory because of the limited space inside aircraft toilets.
“But I cannot use aeroplane toilets because of my height. I can travel for 14 hours but I cannot go to the washroom because it is so small.”
The extraordinary revelation has once again highlighted the everyday difficulties faced by Marongo, whose height has made him one of Kenya’s most recognisable internet personalities.
Marongo says he could be Africa’s tallest man
Beyond the unusual toilet challenge, Marongo also spoke about his extraordinary stature, saying he believes he could be among the tallest people on the African continent.
“I think I am the tallest man in Africa but I am not sure.”
Marongo has previously been described in Kenyan media as standing at approximately 8 feet 2 inches, a height that has made ordinary activities, from buying clothes to finding suitable footwear and furniture, far more complicated than they are for most people.
His height first propelled him into national prominence during Kenya’s 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests.
Images and videos of the towering figure standing among demonstrators spread rapidly online, earning him the nickname Gen Z Goliath.
Explaining how the name came about, Marongo said:
“Kenyans gave me the name Gen Z Goliath after I appeared in the anti-Finance Bill protests.”
He added that the attention intensified after photographs of him circulated widely on social media.
“From there my photos went viral because I am different and I am the tallest man and I also wear the biggest shoes.”
His sudden rise to fame was remarkable because Marongo had previously lived a relatively ordinary working life in Nairobi.
From conductor to internet sensation
Before becoming a social media celebrity, Marongo revealed that his first job after arriving in Nairobi was working as a conductor.
However, the job proved difficult because of the demanding working hours, eventually affecting his health and forcing him to quit.
“When I came to Nairobi for the first time, I came to be a conductor first.”
He said he later moved to Kangemi, where his fortunes began to change after spending about two months there.
According to Gen Z Goliath, a friend named Frank, who later became his manager, called him about an opportunity that eventually led to his first interview.
“From there I did an interview and it went viral.”
That viral exposure transformed his life, with Marongo subsequently appearing in interviews, creating content and securing commercial opportunities.
Ordinary clothes and shoes remain a challenge
For someone of Marongo’s stature, fame has not eliminated the practical difficulties associated with being exceptionally tall.
He told the BBC that his clothes and footwear have to be specially made.
“For my shoes, all are custom-made, including clothes, because of my height.”
His struggle to find appropriately sized clothing and shoes is not new.
In a previous interview, Marongo explained that shopping for clothes could attract unwanted attention because people would gather around simply to stare at him.
He has also previously said he struggled to find conventional shoes that fit.
At one point, his footwear problems became a subject of national conversation, with media personalities helping him obtain a pair of larger shoes.
His unusual dimensions have even affected his sleeping arrangements, with reports previously noting that finding a bed long enough for him has been another challenge.
Thousands of photos with fans
Marongo has also had to adjust to the enormous public attention that followed his viral fame.
He revealed that he can take around 1,000 photographs with fans in a single day. During a visit to Ethiopia, he claimed the number climbed dramatically, with thousands of photographs taken over the course of a week.
Rather than complaining about the attention, however, Marongo views it as part of his new career.
“But I am happy with that as it is my job.”
His fame has continued to grow beyond Kenya.
In January 2026, his encounter with American streamer IShowSpeed during the latter’s Nairobi visit generated another viral moment, with Speed expressing amazement at Marongo’s enormous foot size.
The price of being exceptionally tall
Marongo’s latest revelation offers an unusual glimpse into a reality that is often hidden behind viral photographs and celebrity attention.
For most airline passengers, using an aircraft lavatory is an ordinary part of a long journey. For someone standing more than eight feet tall, however, the same experience can become practically impossible.
Aircraft lavatories are deliberately designed to maximise limited cabin space, meaning that even passengers of average height can sometimes find them cramped. For Marongo, the problem is considerably more pronounced.
His story therefore goes beyond the humour surrounding his inability to use an aeroplane toilet.
It illustrates how infrastructure, clothing, furniture, transport and even basic travel facilities are overwhelmingly designed around average-sized bodies.
Despite those obstacles, Marongo has turned what was once a source of difficulty into an unusual advantage.
His height initially attracted curious looks during the 2024 protests, but the attention has since developed into a career in content creation, appearances and commercial opportunities.
And while millions of people may look at the Gen Z Goliath and see an internet celebrity, Marongo’s latest admission shows that extraordinary height comes with extraordinary inconveniences, including having to think twice before boarding a 14-hour flight.
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