Former Nominated Senator Millicent Omanga has opened up about her private life, revealing the unconventional beginnings of her long-term relationship with her husband, Dr Francis Nyamiobo.
Speaking in a recent radio interview, Omanga said the two met while she was an undergraduate and he was a fifth-year medical student at the University of Nairobi’s Chiromo Campus.
“I met him on campus. He was a campus sweetheart. He was in Chiromo, studying medicine. He is a doctor. He was way ahead, in his fifth year towards completing his studies, then we met, and he courted me,” she said.
She explained that their relationship quickly evolved into a domestic union, which she considers a marriage despite the absence of formal ceremonies such as an engagement or wedding.
“Even if he says he hasn't married me, I was saying I am married. There is nowhere we sat down to decide on things like engagements. You just go and stay there, you take your clothes there. That is how I got married,” she said.
Nyamiobo is an infectious disease specialist with more than two decades of experience and has largely stayed out of the public eye despite Omanga’s high-profile political career.
The couple has two children, a son, Wayne, 20, and a daughter, Maya.
Omanga described their journey into parenthood simply, saying, “Slowly by slowly, Wayne arrived. Then Maya followed.”
Over the years, Omanga has rarely spoken publicly about her husband, with only a few mentions, including during their anniversary in 2017 and in a media feature in 2021.
She maintains that formal weddings are “overrated,” arguing that many do not guarantee lasting relationships.
“People just do it, then within three months or one year, they are done. True marriages are usually about friendships and understanding each other,” she said.
Omanga remains a formidable figure in the capital's politics, having transitioned from a nominated senator to a high-profile contender for the Nairobi Woman Representative seat in the 2022 general elections.
Despite narrowly missing out on the position, she has confirmed a return to the ballot in 2027, but this time under the 'wantam' brigade, which enjoys the stewardship of former DP Rigathi Gachagua.