NTV Swahili news anchor Fridah Mwaka has publicly addressed social media users who keep linking her romantically to her colleague Lofty Matambo.
For some time, fans have assumed that Fridah and Lofty are in a relationship because they often appear together and seem close. However, Fridah has repeatedly said that they are only good friends and professional colleagues.
The talk started again when Fridah shared a photo of herself with Lofty on Facebook and added a caption wondering why Presenter Kai was talking about them. This came after Presenter Kai had posted on his own page, questioning whether the two were dating.
The renewed speculation upset Fridah, who felt that people were crossing boundaries by making assumptions about her private life.
In a strong message shared on her Facebook page, Fridah reminded the public that they do not have the right to define her personal relationships.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to be very clear. It is reckless and unfair to project personal assumptions onto people’s lives simply because they work in media. Journalism is a profession, not a relationship status. Being on screen does not make anyone public property, and it does not give anyone the right to speculate about people’s lives,” she wrote in part.
She added that turning rumors into facts is irresponsible and damaging.
“Professional chemistry is not deception, collaboration is not romance, and privacy is not dishonesty. There are respectable marriages in media, and there are also respectable single people who do not owe anyone an explanation about their personal lives,” she said.
Fridah also stressed that not every interaction between a man and a woman is romantic.
“Sometimes it is just work. Sometimes it is just conversation. Sometimes it is simply two professionals doing their jobs well. If we truly value respect, then we must stop turning assumptions into conclusions,” she added.
Her message sparked mixed reactions online, with some supporting her stand on privacy while others continued to speculate.
By Meta