Johana Ng’eno’s widow, Naiyanoi Ntutu, is back in the news online. Videos surfaced showing her out enjoying herself at clubs in Doha, Qatar.
Naiyanoi, whose husband died in a helicopter crash in February, looked happy and relaxed with friends at a fancy club in Doha.
Her Instagram Stories showed her sitting on a club couch, drinking champagne with loud music playing. Another clip had her singing along to club songs with a friend, clearly enjoying the lively scene.
People online had mixed feelings about her going out. Many Kenyans defended her, saying she has every right to move on after mourning her husband.
Some online users pointed out that society often expects more from widows than from widowers, who usually aren’t judged for moving on faster.
One person mentioned that marriage vows end “till death do us part.” Another said Naiyanoi shouldn’t be expected to grieve forever.
Naiyanoi comes from a well-known political family in Narok County. Her father is Livingstone Ole Ntutu, who used to be a senator there, and her uncle is Patrick Ole Ntutu, the current governor.
After Johana Ng’eno died, elders from the Kapkaon clan reportedly wanted her to run for his parliamentary seat in Emurua Dikirr, to keep his political work going.
But she said no and instead supported David Keter, also known as Dollarline, for the UDA party ticket.
Besides politics, Naiyanoi also recently got attention for being appointed to the board of the Information and Communication Technology Authority (ICTA) for three years.
Even though some people online criticized her, many supporters kept telling her to enjoy life and find happiness again after losing her husband.