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It is the season of love.
February stirs up romance and all things sensual.
Sometimes, it is the opposite. Memories of heartbreak, those of bold moving out and moving on or simply…the ‘it doesn’t matter’ also rule.
If there is a romantic couple Kenyans remember, coming from last year, is that of Bernard Paul Mmyang’anga aka Ben Pol and Anerlisa Muigai.
Last year, time like this, the two were ending their sweet love to the heartbreak of many fans who had followed their romantic life for the two years they were in love.
It all started with a friend-zone submission, a more-than-a-brother confession, a business partner royalty. Vaguely, that is the lure the public rode on, but for a minute.
Who can conceal love cupid’s burning power?
Behind the veil, since the Keroche heiress set her eyes on the sentimental hunk from Bongo land, her heart had melted like a candle. His too. Like a match made in heaven, within months, they got fixed on the hip and yonder, wedding bells were ringing with a hallelujah code.
It is a short narrative with a sweet ending. Sweet. And now this.
Bernard Paul Mmyang’anga aka Ben Pol had landed in Nairobi for an event that early 2018 date. This came with a press conference that had been organised by Anerlisa Muigai’s friend. The celebrated Anerlisa knew Ben Pol. He says he didn’t know her before this ice breaking juncture. Soulmates indeed. Did they even need another shot to cherish for their affection to be confirmed?
It was a matter of weeks before the two started getting spotted in uptown luxury lounges glittering with a glow as they popped, making merry. Occasionally, they would ride off together posing that best friend witty demeanor.
Paparazzi chased around, jostling and pestering them as the itched for the scoop. Millions of their fans waited with albeit breath. Anerlisa, the young Nero Company CEO said nothing to end the rumour, only perpetuating that the Moyo Mashine was just a business partner.
2018 was a good year. With riches enough to ace their desires, they made escapades across the white sandy beaches of the East African Coast and beyond. Business partners.
And then came the first clear hint that endearment was home to roost. Early 2019, they shared a photo of a romantic kissing entanglement…an enviable sensual beachfront heartily cuddle.
“He is different,” a rather smitten Anerlisa captioned as she charmed on that they were a pair by revealing that “he always gets jealous when he sees me alone”. She wasn’t alone. The vacuum left by her estranged lover Ben Kangangi had been filled.
Two weeks before this, Ben Pol had given the secret out as he singularly poured it all during a radio talk empathetic ‘OK’.
“We are very tight and of course there is a lot of stuff we are planning together. Some of the stuff is private and I cannot share that now. I will not lie to you, she is hot and I love her. She has conquered my heart.” In months, the new celebrity couple was the talk of town making showbiz headlines as everyone tried to keep up with ‘BenLisa’ couple goals. Young. Ambitious. Rich. Promising.
Their families were in the picture, and delightfully so.
It was an eventful early 2019 for the two as they raced towards officiating their blooming sensation. That January, another milestone had been achieved as their fans got entertained with snapshots of the lovebird’s traditional wedding breaking the internet.
Family members and friends are spotted looking heavenly elated with a summary that could not be penned better that the lady of the moment did.
“I would like to dedicate this day to my love and my husband to be. My life has not been the same since I met you. You have brought so much love, happiness, honesty and calmness into my life…Nobody ever came to my life and changed it like you,” the beauty who commands a wild social media following penned. There it was.
As love blossomed, tragedy struck. May 2, 2020 was a dull day. The Keroche Breweries empire of Tabitha Karanja lost the last born daughter Tecra Muigai through a mystical death whose investigation is still open. Covid-19 had just struck and Kenya had closed its borders including Tanzania where Ben Pol - who the family obituary placement had acknowledged as ‘son-in-law’ - comes from.
Rumours that The Standard cannot confirm had it that the two lovebirds were already living under one roof in Lavington after the traditional wedding.
And in the midst of the gloom barely a month after Tecra’s death, there was another shocker being brewed from the Keroche’s. News broke that Anerlisa and Ben Pol were solemnising their union in holy matrimony. Anerlisa walked down the aisle in a glamourous church ceremony held in Tanzania.
“A queen can now sit on her throne comfortable,” Anerlisa penned on Instagram, writings that were ascribed on an over-sized be-jeweled golden chair.
It has not been a smooth ride since for the two of the social media acts are anything to go by. As rumours of their separation funning bloggers’ pages in August 2020, with both deleting each other’s photos on Instagram, the two played down murmurs and even kept off media interviews.
Come October last year, the rumoured dark shadows seemed to darken. Anerlisa admitted the two were not in good terms. She alluded that men should respect women just as they expect to be respected. Days ago, that went a notch higher – she dropped her maiden ‘Mnyang’anga’ name from her social media platforms.
It’s 11 months since the yes ‘I do’. Treacherous! Oh no. It doesn’t seem so.
