Musician Kevin Bahati has, for the first time, addressed the controversy surrounding a viral photo of his fiancé, Diana Marua, and star footballer Victor Wanyama.
The photo surfaced online in 2020 and sparked widespread speculation and rumours about Marua’s alleged relationship with Wanyama.
Bahati used the same photo strategically to generate buzz while promoting his new show on Netflix.
When asked if he had spoken to Wanyama before reposting the photo, Bahati responded:
“Why should I ask Wanyama if I can post the photo while it is him and his friend? Let me tell you something. I never said anything. Wanyama and Mariga are my friends. I even campaigned for Mariga in Kibra,” Bahati told Betty Kyallo on TV 47.
He went on to explain that his silence was misinterpreted.
“At times you see rumours, and when you are quiet, they fuel more rumours. But when you show people that it’s normal, they will keep quiet. In this show, we will address so many rumours and even more about our lives. The reason we posted it is because people always want to use it. You give people what they want. Kenyans want to feed a lot of negative energy, and we have been quiet.”
Marua also shared her thoughts, questioning why people felt they had a say in who her friends should be.
“You don’t want me to have friends? I can’t take pictures with people, or is it because he is a celebrity?”
Victor Wanyama is married and has a son with actress Serah Teshna.
Bahati revealed that he did not address the allegations to protect everyone involved.
“Most of my fans know that I adopted my son. When the photo was trending a while back, I don’t think he (Wanyama) had a thick skin like I have, and so one day it was trending, and it’s a cruel social media world. It got to him. If I came out to address it, it would not help anyone. I chose to be sarcastic about it and move on.”
Marua clarified that the selfie was taken during a casual hangout with mutual friends.
When asked by Betty Kyallo how she handles social media trolls, Marua said: “My husband (Bahati) has taught me to learn to die in public opinion. The same people who praise you today, will hate you tomorrow. It’s a cruel world. We ignore trolls most of the time.”
Bahati added that he is no longer affected by negative comments.
“I don’t care if she is trending or being trolled. Being real is so rare. The show will highlight the challenges we have gone through in our marriage over the seven years. If we become a perfect couple, we will not be inspiring anyone.”
Bahati’s reality show, The Bahati Empire, premiered on Netflix on June 7.
