Break-Up Season

In recent times, there has been a surge of break-ups among renowned couples, both on a local and international scale.

Various renowned figures, ranging from young couples to fully blended families, have recently fallen under the dreaded spell of separation. The consistently detrimental trend continues to affect celebrities, as seen through the recent announcement from Catherine Kamau, aka Kate Actress, and her spouse Philip Karanja regarding their split. Responding to rumours hinting at rifts in their harmonious bond, the couple released a statement via Kate's Instagram stories detailing their prolonged separation.

“We came to a conclusion to end our marriage a long while ago and are separated. We sincerely request everyone to honour our wishes for privacy for us and our children,” read the statement.

The couple tied the knot in 2017 and after six years together they marked a conclusion to their marriage. Their charisma had earned them a following, with many intrigued by their public appearances. Red carpets always found them impeccably dressed, clasping hands. It was their bond that kept people coming for more with their Instagram serving plentiful intimate shots, a solid reminder of what couple goals look like. Kate, who already had a young son, met Philip Karanja on the set of the TV series Mother-In-Law in 2012-2013. They became a couple and had a daughter together in 2019. The reason for their breakup has not been disclosed but Phil mentioned on his Instagram Stories that they remain friends, co-parents, and business partners.

The split between Kate Actress and Philip Karanja comes shortly after another public separation involving actress Jackie Matubia and her ex-fiancé Blessing Lung'aho. Jackie Matubia, famous for her appearances in Tahidi High and Zora, struck up a romance with Blessing in 2020, which they made public a year later. Although they have a one-year-old daughter and were once engaged, they have since parted ways. Blessing proposed to Jackie in April 2022, but things did not work out. The pair used to produce YouTube vlogs featuring manicured photo sessions and slices from their life together, much to their followers' contentment.

In July, Jackie announced their split and proudly declared herself a single mother of two. In an interview with Ankali Ray, she revealed that she had not been in contact with her former fiancé for months. Despite this, Blessing Lung'aho has kept a low profile since the breakup and instead shares photos of himself on Instagram with various female friends. However, these are either just brand endorsements that seem to have confused his 317,000 followers. Prior to the separation of Jackie and Blessing, Shiko Nguru, a well-known YouTuber, also separated from her longtime partner Rama Oluoch.

It's not just larger families experiencing splits, but also younger couples like actor Tyler Mbaya and his influencer ex Georgina Njenga. In July, the 23-year-old actor and his partner shocked fans with the announcement that they were going their separate ways. Georgina later elaborated on the split in August when responding matter-of-factly to a fan's question about her relationship.