Former Citizen Television news anchor Jacque Maribe has lifted the lid on her life pre-murder trial and post-murder charges.

In a Thursday, November 19 tell-all interview with True Love magazine proprietor and media personality Carole Mandi, Maribe revealed details of her life that were not known by the public before.

Two miscarriages

For the first time, Jacque Maribe opened up about her struggles with miscarriage. Before getting her son, Zahari, who was born in May 2014, Maribe had suffered two miscarriages.

“I had almost gotten a baby before, but I got (sic) a miscarriage. It was tough at the time because it (pregnancy) was also new to me. [That was my first miscarriage]. Then, we tried again, [I suffered] a second miscarriage. We hadn’t known what was going on,” revealed Jacque Maribe.

“Our doctor said: ‘no, [something is not right], we have to probe further’.

“[After being medically examined], they discovered I have this thing that they call a septum. Basically, [that meant] the uterus, which should be one whole unit, had a wall separating two spaces. We realised that the problem was that the baby would be implanted on this side, or the other side. And, as the foetus grows, the wall [in the uterus] does not move, it doesn’t go anywhere. [As a result], it causes a miscarriage.

“I was told that I had to undergo a surgery [to correct the problem]. I panicked, and said: ‘I am not going to do this’. I do not remember how many years ago that was, but it took a while [for me to accept to undergo surgical operation]. I remember I used to pray every day. I would say: ‘listen, God… What is too hard for you? I do not have to have this surgery. If you want, you can make that thing (septum) elastic through whatever miracle. Just make it move, create space’.

“Then in 2013, I was in South Africa on an assignment. [While there], I got so sick. My colleague told me: ‘aih, are you pregnant?’ And I said: ‘stop it, I can’t be [pregnant]’. I came back home while so sick, genuinely sick. So, I went to the hospital and they said: ‘we are going to do all these kind of [medical] tests’. Then the doctor comes in and says: ‘congratulations!’, and I am like: ‘what!’ I hadn’t undergone the medical surgery to correct the problem, and there I was, pregnant!

“I remember I said the first three people I would tell were my mother and my sister who lives in Dubai… I wasn’t sure about telling the baby-daddy. After the baby came, we had that [septum-removal] surgery, and I was told: ‘you can go have your six children if you want’.

“My son is called Zahari, which means ‘God has remembered’, and literally God had remembered me. So, it is a very personal name, Zahari and I have a very personal relationship. He makes me happy.”

‘Eric Omondi was not ready to commit’

In the candid interview, Jacque Maribe reiterated an earlier revelation that comedian Eric Omondi is the biological father of her son. She said when she conceived in late 2013, Eric Omondi was not ready to commit to an exclusively monogamous relationship, hence their separation.

“It (parenting) is something I wanted, and it is not a space that he was happy being in at the time.

“I wouldn’t say the clashing interests was the sole reason for our break-up at the time. I think we were both at very different places in our lives. Eric is my friend to date. So, I wouldn’t want to speak ill of him, but he wasn’t at a space where he wanted a serious relationship. I think I had matured beyond his expectations. And then, here was the baby, and he still wanted to have all the girls and groupies, whatever. His career at the time was really taking off.

“For him, being in the arts industry, I was really tying him down with a serious relationship. And then, the baby situation came, I told him: ‘this is what I want for myself; I don’t want a situation where you look like you are being forced into something that you don’t want’. And we agreed to go our separate ways, but remain friends.”

Asked whether she can reunite with Eric Omondi, Jacque Maribe said an emphatic ‘no’.

“I do not see myself getting back together with Eric. He doesn’t believe that [when I tell him we can’t be an item again]. A few days ago, he joked, saying: ‘you are single, I am single; we were meant to be single so that one day [we get back together]. I came to know another side of him… We kind of messed up crossing the line, we were very good friends from the beginning. I don’t know why we thought it could work [in an intimate arrangement]. If we were able to collect ourselves again and become friends, I don’t think I will ever cross that line again.”

Of relationship with Jowie

Jacque Maribe says her relationship with Joseph Irungu, alias Jowie, played a big part in her current tribulations.

“It was that relationship [that made everything go south]. He was very nice to me [when I met him on the campaign trail and thereafter]. I think it is important to learn about somebody before you rush into something. I had dated him for one year, and got engaged to him exactly one year into the relationship.

“I thought at the time he and I were ready [to advance the relationship]. And, he wasn’t a guy who would give me too much pressure because I used to work a lot as well. I thought: ‘Oh, maybe I have found the person who understands the kind of woman [I am]; one who is passionate about her career, passionate about her hours, passionate about being a mother’. And, there I was with a partner who understood what I wanted.”

Jacque Maribe recounts a few days to September 19, 2018, when her world came thudding with a bang after Jowie, her fiancé at the time, was arrested in connection with the murder of businesswoman Monica Kimani at her Kilimani home.

“Everything was going on so well. My career path was good, undeniably good, until one day, something just [happened]…”

On whether she regrets dating Jowie, Maribe said: “This man was that person for me, the one you feel like if I ever had any regrets, then this is it. I do not believe in regrets, but if regret was a person, then that would be it. I do not like to speak about him because… sometimes I feel like if you want to speak your truth, people would come and judge you, and say: ‘you are still bitter…’ I saw he has now moved on. So, people are going to talk and say: ‘why are you now talking about him?’ I don’t talk about him because I don’t want to talk about him.”

The media personality, who currently hosts a YouTube show — The Hot Seat — said she wanted to clarify information on when she and Jowie went separate ways.

“I want to correct the fact that he said we broke up while he was behind bars, [no, that is not true]. We had already broken up before then. Let us be honest about it. Even our body language while we were in court told it all. It is important for people to find the truth from the horse’s mouth.”

‘Single and happy‘

The mother-of-one says she is currently single, but is hopeful to meet her better half in the future.

“I am enjoying the single life; no entanglements for now, [dating] is too much work.

“If I were to date today, I would go for someone who is my friend. I believe in dating a friend nowadays. I think I have had a very different picture of things. He would have to be someone who aspires for the same things that I do, someone who is willing to be a partner — not domineering; let us build each other, someone who will see me [as a person], not the Jacque Maribe who was a TV news anchor.

“For now, I am happily single. I wouldn’t close that chapter [on relationship or marriage] completely. I believe there is someone for everyone, you do not have to die alone.”