Renowned Kenyan media personality Janet Mbugua has broken her silence on recent speculation that she is in a relationship with a younger man.
The reports began swirling after the public speaker and author shared a video discussing age and maturity, which many interpreted as a reflection of her personal life.
The video that sparked speculation
On November 22, Janet posted a thought-provoking video discussing how maturity isn’t always tied to age. She explained that while some people assume individuals in their 40s or 50s are inherently mature, this isn’t always the case.
The public speaker went on to highlight that younger individuals, such as a 23-year-old, could demonstrate a greater sense of self due to intentional personal growth and accountability.
READ: Valuable lessons Janet Mbugua learnt after reconnecting with her ex-boyfriend
Janet added that, conversely, a 45-year-old woman could lack accountability and remain stuck in harmful patterns. Her message urged people not to view age as the sole indicator of someone’s maturity.
While her comments were meant to encourage people to evaluate maturity beyond age, some netizens interpreted her remarks as a hint about her own life, particularly suggesting she might be romantically involved with a younger partner.
Janet’s response
Addressing the speculation, Janet clarified that sometimes content creators talk about things, and her video was not a reflection of her personal life but a general commentary.
She explained that the video was inspired by a quote she found insightful and was simply meant to spark meaningful discussions
My last video has nothing to do with my personal life. I just phrased a narrative based on content that other people do. A lot of the time content creators talk about their individual lives but sometimes it' just reflections on things that have nothing to do with us... I did a video based on a quote that says you can meet a 45 year old man and a 23 year old boy. And for some reason people thought it had something to do with me having a younger lover, maybe some day!
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Single, celibate and sober - Janet Mbugua
The mother of two also took the opportunity to share aspects of her current personal journey. For the first time publicly, Janet spoke about being single, celibate, and sober, a lifestyle she described as deeply personal rather than aspirational.
The author added that these decisions were not made to impress anyone but to safeguard her well-being. She explained that her current lifestyle is part of a deeply personal journey of healing and self-awareness. Janet also emphasised that these choices are not set in stone and could evolve with time.
The point is, you can be different things and they may not even make sense. I can talk about being singe, sober and celibate. It's not a flex! There so much I had to pause to really fully hear myself before I made these big life decisions. That means I could unpause tomorrow, 3 months, in five years... am no trying to give myself a limit in regards to these decisions.
Am just giving myself time to sit on it for now. Sometimes you make decisions in life to self preserve it, not because it fun, a flex or a popular thing to do. its because it a necessary part of navigating a vey personal complex journey while still living.
READ: Politicians approached me even after marriage – Janet Mbugua on sexual harassment
Widen your horizons
Reflecting on the public reaction to her video, Janet urged people to approach content with an open mind rather than jumping to conclusions.
She explained that assumptions about someone’s life based on a single video or post reveal more about the viewer’s perspective than the creator’s reality.
She emphasised that projecting personal feelings onto someone else’s content can lead to misunderstandings. .
How you recieve these is on you. If you want to recieve this in a way that boxes me thats honelty on you. But I would also say broaden your horizon and do self work. if you take from a single video, a post, not just from me but also other people, and thinks that how they are then you've limited yourself to just what you see.
When it comes to unpacking complexities of relationship issues, if your taking it personally then it means it s a season your going through or you're projecting or just defending. It doesn't means you have the truth. It's your truth.
Janet’s ongoing advocacy for self-awareness
Known for her thought-provoking discussions on societal issues, Janet Mbugua continues to challenge conventional narratives and inspire self-reflection.
Her message serves as a reminder that personal growth is a unique journey, and assumptions based on surface-level interpretations can often lead to misjudgments.