‘I miss this phase’ – Janet Mbugua hops onto the viral #2016Challenge
By Charles Ouma, January 22, 2026Renowned media personality Janet Mbugua has joined the viral #2016Challenge that has taken social media by storm.
Mbugua joined the challenge on her official social media platforms, taking a walk down memory lane as she reminisced on her journey of discovery.
The photo shared by the media personality shows her wearing an elegant and stylish black dress in a bold fashion statement with makeup to complete the fashionable look.
‘I miss the phase’
While appreciating the journey that she has been on and the transformation over the years, Mbugua shared a photo taken back in 2016, admitting that she misses that phase.
She also touched on her journey on Instagram, recounting that back then, the platform was a memory bank.
“#2016challenge Back when Instagram shifted from being a memory bank for me to becoming a playground. It was a space to experiment with style, voice, and self-expression, without needing it to mean more than curiosity and fun.” Mbugua stated.
“I miss this phase!” she added, while recapping a decade in her life.
Journey of discovery
She expressed gratitude for platforms that have allowed people to discover themselves in public.
“Grateful for that season of play, and for platforms that allow us to discover ourselves in public, gently #2016Challenge,” the media personality added.
Over the years, Janet Mbugua has built a reputation for using her visibility to drive purposeful conversations.
Janet Mbugua’s influence
She is known for her insightful take on trending conversations, relationships and personal experiences.
Mbugua also uses her platforms for advocacy and awareness, driving impactful conversations and rallying the public behind causes she believes in.
Gender equality, menstrual health, and girls’ empowerment are some of the areas that she champions.
As a notable personality on social media, Mbugua is also alive to the negative side. She called out rising gender-based violence on social media on November 16, 2025, urging users to show empathy.
“How did laughing at someone’s pain become ‘just jokes’? A lot of what we call banter is cruelty, and with technology-facilitated gender-based violence rising, we cannot pretend it is harmless.
“It touches women, men, and young people in ways we rarely talk about. Maybe the shift begins with something small. A pause before we post, a moment to choose empathy over noise,” Mbugua stated in an Instagram statement on Sunday, November 16, 2025.