Jackie Matubia, known for her unapologetic confidence and openness, recently sparked a reaction online after joining a trending TikTok challenge featuring a playful Tanzanian song referencing “stealing husbands.” The post, while light-hearted, prompted a sharp comment from a follower, who remarked, “Ndio maana wako akaenda” (“That’s why yours left”).
True to her bold personality, Matubia responded quickly and with wit, opting for a clever reference to King Kaka’s song “Soko.” She used the line “Peleka feelings zako kwa Ruto…” (“Take your feelings over there”) in her response, accompanied by the caption, “Buy a dictionary to understand the meaning of lip sync or challenge. Feelings, take them there.”
This quick retort isn’t out of character for Matubia, who has been open about navigating public scrutiny of her personal life. In a November 2024 interview with Dr. Ofweneke, she shared her experience of choosing celibacy for nearly three years after her breakup with actor Blessing Lung’aho, the father of her youngest daughter, Zendaya.
“I stayed celibate for almost three years. I didn’t want anything,” she said, explaining that this period of emotional healing allowed her to focus on raising her children.
Having gone through two highly publicized breakups, Matubia has become a strong advocate for emotional well-being and the importance of honest conversations about love, relationships, and motherhood. One of her key messages is a cautionary note to young women, advising them not to believe that pregnancy will guarantee a man’s commitment. “For girls who think getting pregnant will keep a man, just know you’ll end up raising that child alone,” she shared.
Her relationship with Lung’aho, which had once seemed perfect, came to a sudden end. In February 2022, they announced their pregnancy on Valentine’s Day, followed by an engagement in April. “He proposed, and I said yes! I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life laughing and loving you always,” she had written at the time.
However, things unraveled, and Matubia faced the painful reality of raising a child as a single mother. “When I told the dad to go, he left. And this wasn’t the first time I was raising a child outside of marriage,” she explained. Despite her efforts to encourage Lung’aho to be more involved in their daughter’s life, she came to understand that a man can’t be forced to be present if he doesn’t want to be. “I tried to fight for his involvement in our daughter’s life—but you can’t force a man to be present if he doesn’t want to be,” she said.
On the other hand, her relationship with the father of her first child remains amicable. “We’re very good friends,” Matubia stated. “At the end of the day, a man who truly shows up for his child—that’s what matters most.”
Reflecting on her emotional journey since the breakup, Matubia confessed to initially feeling bitterness and resentment. “I wanted him to suffer the way I did,” she admitted. But over time, her perspective shifted. “I had to ask myself: Is my child’s well-being worth all this back-and-forth? The answer was a clear no—hakuna haja,” she concluded, emphasizing the importance of letting go of negativity for the sake of her children’s happiness and emotional health.
