For years, Kenyans have watched Yvonne Okwara question politicians, challenge public officials and break down complicated national issues on television. But when the cameras are off, the journalist has kept much of her personal life away from the public spotlight.
One question that has continued to interest her fans concerns the man she married: Andrew Matole, a veterinary surgeon whose path crossed hers through an unexpected visit to his clinic.
Their meeting was not at a glamorous event, a celebrity party or a high-profile function. Instead, it happened when Okwara took a sick pet for treatment. What began as an ordinary visit to a veterinary clinic eventually led to marriage, giving their love story an unusual beginning.
Okwara married Matole in December 2014 in a private wedding in Nairobi. Over the years, she has occasionally spoken about their relationship, including the public attention surrounding their age difference and her decision to keep her husband largely out of her social media life.
While her professional life has unfolded before millions of viewers, her approach to marriage has been considerably more private.
Who is Andrew Matole?
Andrew Matole is a veterinary surgeon who came into the public eye through his marriage to Okwara. Unlike his wife, whose work involves appearing on television and interviewing prominent figures, Matole has maintained a relatively low public profile.
His profession involves the treatment and care of animals, a field that brought him into contact with Okwara when she sought medical attention for her sick pet.
In a 2018 interview, Okwara spoke about her husband with affection, describing him as her best friend. She said they got along well and that the public’s comments about their relationship had not changed how she felt about him.
The description offered a glimpse into their relationship without turning their private life into a regular subject of public discussion.
Matole has rarely been the focus of his wife’s public appearances, and Okwara has made it clear that she does not believe marriage requires a couple to share every detail of their lives online.
A Private wedding and a 16-year age difference
Okwara and Matole exchanged vows on December 6, 2014, in a private wedding ceremony at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Nairobi. The event was attended by invited guests, reflecting the couple’s preference for keeping their relationship away from unnecessary public attention.
At the time, Okwara was 31, while Matole was 47. Their 16-year age difference attracted public discussion, with some people questioning their decision to marry.
Okwara addressed the criticism in an interview, explaining that other people’s opinions did not determine the quality of their relationship.
“People talked. People said things. That’s what comes with having a job in the limelight, but again, no one lives my life but me,” she said.
She also described Matole as her best friend and said they got along well.
No posting
In an age when couples frequently document anniversaries, holidays, romantic dinners and surprise gifts online, Okwara has taken a different approach to sharing her marriage.
In March 2019, a fan asked why she rarely posted photographs showing Matole on her social media accounts. The journalist responded with humour, explaining that she was not hiding him.
“Haha, I don’t hide him. He’s a grown man! He can put up his pictures when he wants to. I don’t control his social media, this is my page, not his!” she replied.
Okwara has occasionally shared affectionate messages about her husband. On one occasion, she posted about receiving white lilies from him, revealing that flowers were among the gestures she appreciated.
Such moments have offered brief glimpses into their relationship without turning it into a running public show. For a journalist whose work involves asking other people questions, she has generally been careful about how much she reveals about her own life.
Her views on marriage and motherhood
Okwara has also spoken openly about societal expectations surrounding marriage and motherhood.
In interviews, she explained that she did not feel pressured to marry by a particular age. She maintained that people should make decisions about marriage and children according to their own circumstances rather than public expectations.
She also argued that couples should discuss decisions about having children with each other instead of allowing outside pressure to determine their choices.
The journalist has not publicly shared extensive details about her private family arrangements, and speculation about children should not be mistaken for confirmed information.
