Former television news anchor and ex-State House spokesperson Kanze Dena has spoken candidly about her journey as a mother, co-parenting, and the lessons she learnt from her early experiences with love and loss.

Speaking during an interview on Bahari FM, the former Citizen TV journalist revisited some of the most personal chapters of her life, including the heartbreak of losing her first child and the challenges she faced as a young, single mother.

Fear and Secrecy During Her First Pregnancy

Kanze recalled discovering she was pregnant shortly after finishing high school, describing the moment as one filled with fear and uncertainty. Too afraid to tell her mother, she initially considered giving up her baby for adoption.

“I was young, scared, and worried about what my mum would say,” she revealed. “In my mind, I thought I’d give up the baby because I wasn’t ready for motherhood.”

Determined to keep her pregnancy secret, she joined a college far from home. She had even been advised that during childbirth, she should avoid hearing or seeing the baby to reduce emotional attachment.

When the time came to deliver at Pumwani Hospital, fate took a different turn. A friend, concerned about her condition, alerted Kanze’s aunt, who then informed her mother. Coincidentally, her mother happened to be in Nairobi that very day and rushed to the hospital.

“I was shocked to see them—my mum and aunt—standing there,” Kanze said. “It was at that moment I realised they had found out everything.”

Her mother reassured her that she didn’t have to go through it alone, expressing that the family could have handled the situation together.

Losing Her Firstborn

Sadly, Kanze’s baby passed away three months later, a loss that she described as one of the most painful moments of her life. She revealed that the child’s father had abandoned her soon after learning of the pregnancy and that they never reconnected.

“The father of my first child left and never looked back,” she said. “But according to God’s will, my baby passed away at three months. If they were alive today, they would be 26.”

Kanze said she shared her experience to remind parents to offer compassion and understanding to their daughters, especially when they make difficult choices.

READ MORE: 17 things you did not know about State House Spokesperson Kanze dena

Why She Never Married Her Child’s Father

Reflecting on her later years, Kanze explained that she later had another child, who is now 19. However, despite their connection, she chose not to marry her baby’s father, explaining that love—not obligation—should be the foundation of marriage.

“At that time, I told myself I don’t want to be married because of pregnancy,” she said. “If a man marries me, it should be because he loves me—not because I’m carrying his child.”

When disagreements between them persisted, Kanze decided to walk away. She focused on her career and faith, embracing the challenges of single motherhood.

“I gave up on the relationship and chose to focus on my job, because God had already opened that door for me,” she shared.

“But for all 19 years, we have co-parented. He’s been present in his son’s life. We both remarried, but we’ve raised him together, and I thank God for that.”