NTV journalist Fridah Mwaka has moved to clear the air over social media claims linking her romantically to fellow journalist Lofty Matambo, terming the speculation misleading, reckless, and unfair.
In a detailed statement shared online, Mwaka dismissed the allegations, saying they stem from false assumptions about on-screen chemistry between colleagues.
The two are popular Swahili news anchors who frequently co-host bulletins on NTV, a professional arrangement that has recently attracted unwarranted public attention.
Mwaka stressed that journalism is a profession and should not be confused with personal relationships.
She noted that appearing on television does not make journalists public property or give audiences the right to intrude into their private lives.
“Professional chemistry is not romance, collaboration is not deception, and privacy is not dishonesty,” she said, warning against dragging individuals into imagined narratives and presenting them as facts.
The journalist further highlighted that media houses are made up of diverse professionals, including married individuals, single people, and colleagues who work together purely on a professional basis.
According to Mwaka, none of these groups owes the public explanations about their personal lives simply because they work in the media.
She also challenged the tendency to frame interactions between men and women as romantic by default, arguing that such thinking reinforces harmful stereotypes and undermines workplace professionalism.
Mwaka’s remarks have triggered discussion online, with many Kenyans supporting her call for respect and boundaries, while others reflected on the pressures faced by high-profile media personalities in the age of social media.
Her statement comes at a time when conversations around digital responsibility, privacy, and ethical online conduct are gaining traction in Kenya.
Media analysts note that journalists are increasingly subjected to scrutiny that goes beyond their work, often blurring the line between public interest and personal life.
By addressing the matter directly, Mwaka said she hoped to discourage speculation and refocus attention on professionalism, respect, and the importance of separating work from private life.