Lizzie Wanyoike opens up on unexpected marriage
Kenyan businesswoman Elizabeth Muthoka Wanyoike has opened up on how she got married without planning for it.
Muthoka, best known in business circles as Liz Wanyoike, says she was caught off guard when she visited her friend’s home after completing her university studies. The visit doubled up as an introduction event, which led to her marriage.
“I met him through a mutual friend back in campus, as he used to take us out,” she explained in a recent interview with comedian Churchill.
“After some time, he would take me out alone. Upon graduation, as I was heading back home, he offered to get me a place to stay for a while before going back, and he took me to a hostel,” she narrated.
“One day he asked to take me to his home, I accepted, and that’s how I got married. I thought I was visiting. He had three kids, and the mother told me that he had divorced and was living with his kids alone. He asked me to stay and I did,” she added.
The businesswoman adds that the age gap between her and her ex-husband was a contributing factor to their marriage falling apart, as they both had different interests in life and didn’t quite get to know each other well enough before settling down.
She, however, decided to keep his last name even after separation saying that at the end of the day, Mr. Wanyoike helped her become the woman she is today. “I am so proud of that name because he is the one who made me who I am,” said Ms. Muthoka.
Muthoka is not only an educator, but also a philanthropist, and the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Nairobi Institute of Business Studies (NIBS).