Betty Kyallo and Dennis Okari’s glitzy wedding left many
tongues wagging for days. It was the wedding of the year in 2015. Their fans
were convinced that they were a perfect match made in heaven and that they
would age gracefully together.After their nuptials, the industry bigwigs took
off on their honeymoon that was planned in three phases covering three
different romantic destinations from Mauritius to Diani to Dubai where they
enjoyed every moment spent together.
Okari and Betty posted photos of their honeymoon escapades
on their respective social media accounts , flaunting their sweet moments
together, much to the annoyance of their haters.
Early 2016, KTN TV siren Betty Kyallo had parted ways with
her husband Dennis Okari, barely 6 months into their marriage.
This saw the once upon a time media power couple trend for
the days and many stories were said and written about them.
Betty Kyallo, who had hyphenated her husband’s name on her
handles (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram), deleted it changing all her social
media handles to now reflect her single status Betty Mutei Kyallo. On the other
hand, Okari deleted all the pics on his social media accounts and unfollowed
everyone on Instagram. (he currently follows no one on Instagram).
The mother of one moved on, dated someone but later parted
ways after a mutual agreement, started a hair spa business and focused more on
her career and daughter Ivanna. On the other hand, Okari was mocked on social
media everytime he ran a story on TV but this did not deter him from doing what
he loved most.
And recently, he spoke out for the first time. The NTV
investigative journalist has turned into a preacher and a motivational speaker
and this can be evident from the many quotes and messages on his social media
accounts.
Well, Betty Kyallo has left Kenyans with more answers than
questions after she revealed what led to their separation. In an interview
with True Love Magazine, the sexy TV siren revealed that during her
traditional wedding, Okari stood her up and did not pick her calls.
“I NEEDED TO FIND OUT
WHAT TIME THEIR ENTOURAGE WOULD ARRIVE. BUT HE DID NOT PICK UP MY CALL. I TIRED
CALLING HIM AGAIN AFTER AN HOUR AND ONCE AGAIN IT WENT UNANSWERED.
AT 3PM, WHEN WE TRIED
TO CALL AGAIN, ALL THEIR PHONES WERE OFF. BY THE TIME THE SUN WAS GOING DOWN,
IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT I HAD BEEN STOOD UP ON MY TRADITIONAL WEDDING,” SHE SAID.
Betty and her family were worried. Her mother, who had
invited almost 250 friends from her chama, was confused on what to tell her
guests. The family had used a lot of money to prepare for the traditional
wedding.
“MY DAD WANTED TO GO
AND TELL EVERYONE WHAT WAS HAPPENING, BUT I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD GO. I STARTED
BY THANKING THEM FOR COMING AND THEN I TOLD THEM THAT THINGS DID NOT WORK OUT.
I WOULD SENSE THAT NOBODY UNDERSTOOD WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT, BUT I LET THEM
KNOW THAT I WAS GRATEFUL TO HAVE THEM HOME SINCE WE HAD NOT CONNECTED FOR A
LONG TIME.”
Betty’s family and friends were disappointed and wanted her
to dump Okari but three days after he embarrassed her, Betty started talking to
her estranged husband albeit behind her family and friends. The news
anchor, who was heavily pregnant by then, decided to to go back to Okari hoping
that things would change.
After welcoming their baby girl Alvanna, things went from
bad to worse. Betty narrated how Okari’s family was cold towards her and
her mother Mrs Kyallo.
“WHEN I GAVE
BIRTH TO IVANNA, IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO HAVE MY MUM COME IN TO HELP ME. I
STRUGGLED WITH HER ALONE BECAUSE MY MUM NEVER FELT WELCOMED IN OUR HOME. PLUS
THE CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND THE FAILED TRADITIONAL WEDDING CEREMONY NEVER REALLY
WENT AWAY. THERE WAS ALWAYS TENSION AROUND US, BETWEEN THE TWO FAMILIES, EVEN
US. AND I FELT I WAS NOT BEING PROTECTED BY HIM WHEN IT CAME TO HIS FAMILY,”
SAID THE TEARFUL BETTY.
But the strong woman she is, she convinced herself that
things would be better one day.
They went ahead to plan their second traditional wedding
which was attended by 10 people only.
“WE THEN DECIDED THAT
WHEN IVANNA TURNED ONE, WE WOULD HAVE THE WEDDING. THE SECOND TRADITIONAL
WEDDING LEADING UP TO THIS DAY WAS ATTENDED BY ONLY 10 PEOPLE. MY MUM AND DAD
WERE THE ONLY ONES PRESENT FROM MY FROM OF THE FAMILY. BUT ULTIMATELY, IT WAS
NOT THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY I HAD DREAMED OF,” NARRATED THE SEXY TV SIREN.
Later the two held their flashy wedding which grabbed
headlines in the papers, tabloids and blogs with many wishing them all the best
but deep inside Betty was not sure of what would happen next.
At this time, Betty was wondering if she could go through
with the church wedding. Several questions rang in her mind.
“I FELT THAT MY MOTHER, NOW SINGLE, WAS NOT TREATED WITH
RESPECT SHE DESERVED. ALMOST LIKE SHE WAS BEING JUDGED. I LOVE MY MOTHER SO MUCH
AND WAS QUITE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THINGS THAT HAPPENED…BUT I STILL FELT I HAD TO
KEEP UP THE SHOW.”
Her mother wasn’t for the decision but she had no choice but
to support her daughter.
Betty’s mother broke down in tears as her daughter and Okari
exchanged vows.
“MY MUM’S SISTERS HAD T STEP IN AND CALM HER DOWN AND
REASSURE HER THAT THINGS WOULD BE FINE. BUT I COULD TELL SHE WAS BITTER AND
SAD.”
The wedding went well and the two were living a quiet life
but that didn’t mean it was quiet to the rest of us out here. Whenever they
posted anything on social media, it made news. When asked why she went ahead to
marry Okari even after she went through hell while they were still dating she
replied;
“I FELT THAT THIS WAS WHAT EVERYONE WAS WAITING FOR. WE
THOUGHT THAT WE NEEDED TO STAY TRUE TO THE CHARACTERS WE HAD CREATED. WE HAD TO
DO IT FOR THE ‘IMAGINARY’ COUPLES THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE INSPIRING. THIS
IS WHAT WE SAID IN THE MAGAZINE AND UP TO NOW I STILL DON’T KNOW WHO THESE
COUPLES ARE. BUT WE WERE LIVING OUR LIVES FOR THEM, BEING THE BEST EXAMPLE TO
THEM. IT WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE, I WAS YOUNG AND I THOUGHT IT WAS THE RIGHT
THING TO DO.”
After their honeymoon, Dennis and Betty went to his rural
home and this is when reality started checking through.
“THAT DECEMBER WE WENT TO HIS SHAGS. THERE WAS STILL A BIT
OF FRICTION WITH THE FAMILY, AND BY THE TIME I WAS LEAVING I COULD SENSE THAT
HIS FAMILY HAD GROWN COLDER. OUR CULTURES STILL HAD NOT GELLED.”
Back in Nairobi, their relationship was shaky, nothing to smile
about and it’s at this point where Betty asked for a separation. She had had
enough.
“WHAT DISTURBED ME THE MOST WAS THAT HE HAD NEVER FOUGHT FOR
US – IVANNA AND I. EVEN WHEN I SAID I WAS LEAVING HE SAID NOTHING. HE DID NOT
FIGHT FOR ME TO STAY.”
Betty then moved out with her daughter and started her own
life and shockingly, ever since they broke up, she says Okari has never
inquired about their daughter.
Betty, who was a darling to many and had several friends,
revealed how all her friends deserted her after she parted ways with Okari and
experienced loneliness during the separation with no one to offer her a
shoulder to cry on apart from her family and Susan Kaittany her best friend and
business partner.
“GOING THROUGH THE WHOLE SEPARATION, I LOST SO MANY FRIENDS.
THEY WERE ALL THERE AT THE WEDDING BUT WHEN THINGS GOT ROUGH, THEY RAN AWAY.
THEY LATER RETURNED AND SAID THEY WERE ‘GIVING ME TIME’ TO GET OVER EVERYTHING.
WE REALLY NEED TO BE EACH OTHER’S KEEPERS AND SADLY THEY ARE NOT MY FRIENDS
ANYMORE. BUT I HAVE A GREAT SUPPORT SYSTEM, MY FAMILY AND MY BEST FRIEND
AND BUSINESS PARTNER, SUSAN. I KEEP MY CIRCLE VERY LEAN LOW.” SAID BETTY.
Kwa kweli pata shida ujue marafiki!