Chebet Rono: Why Andrew Kibe is my role model
Controversial media personality Andrew Kibe has for long built himself a public persona of being highly opinionated in a manner that raffles many feathers.
But Kenyan content creator Chebet Rono has a different perspective and personal experience with the once high-flying radio presenter.
Speaking in an interview with Lynn Ngugi, the renowned funny woman said when she was pursuing her career in media she had no female role models, rather they were simply putting her down and it was only Andrew Kibe who held her hand and supported her through the rough times.
“I met Kbe when I was working at Radio, and I think he was one of the people who genuinely pumped life into me and he had nothing to gain from it. And he is a controversial person, and there are some things he says I also do not agree with. A lot of things he says I’m like oh my God, not another day. But as a person, to me, he was genuine and kind, and supportive and I needed that at the time,” said Rono.
She went further to share how she had a hard time working with the women in the industry as they were seeing her as a threat.
“The ladies in the industry who so say they’re feminists and support women were really putting me down and they looked at me as a threat and treated me as such. Although I was there to learn and I was trying to learn from them. I didn’t have a female figure who was guiding me and telling me how to succeed and all, it was Kibe who was telling me those things,” she said.
Many Kenyan women have described Andrew Kibe as a narcissistic man who gives men bad advice when it comes to matters of women, love, and relationships. In this light and among other things discussed, Rono also shared her experience dating a 33-year-old narcissist when she was just 20 years old.
“So I haven’t had many. I had one that changed my perception. I was with a very abusive person, but I didn’t know it was abuse because I didn’t know what love looked like at the time.”
She blamed the abuse on her people-pleasing nature.
“I had this belief that I would do anything for this person to not leave. Or do not disregard me. And funny enough he was way older. You know how they say age doesn’t determine…maturity”
Chebet then confessed they had a significant age gap
“At the time I think he was 33. and I was 20, I know it was bad, it was bad, I didn’t even know it was a problem. Hamkusema mapema”
She said the union was a rollercoaster for her as his narcissistic behavior made her abusive.
“The ups and downs took a toll on my life. I saw myself acting in ways I’d never even known. I even became abusive. as well.
I let him take so much advantage of me. But I did not know better.” She blames this on her upbringing
She ended the relationship when it led to his arrest.
“It was such a physical relationship, I would be strangled over nothing.” describing her trauma and arguments over small things.