State House spokesperson Kanze Dena, in a candid interview about her life, narrated the reason why she had stayed away from Citizen TV anchor and close friend Lulu Hassan's life when she was expecting her second child.
Talking to Parents Magazine in January 2018, Dena narrated that when she learned that Lulu Hassan was expecting her second child, she promised to be with her all through the journey, but when she was close to giving birth, Dena lost her courage and stayed away.
"When Lulu had her second born, I was thinking yeah, let me do this, but in the end, I pulled out, and I bet she does not know why I pulled out. It really got to me at some point and I would find myself always crying so I figured the best thing to do was to stay away," she narrated.
Talking motherhood and depression for the first time, Dena narrated that ever since she lost her child at three months old, she developed a constant fear of toddlers that she was yet to actually get over.
"This is the first time I'm saying it. When people have babies, I do not visit them until the baby is past three months. My friends tend to wonder what's wrong with me. I tend to be excited about the pregnancy but as soon as the baby is born, I disappear. They've never understood why," she narrated.
This fear, she narrated, was meant to end with her participation in the pregnancy journey Lulu Hassan was in, but at some point, she could not take it anymore.
She, however, stated that she had restarted the journey with her younger sister who was then expectant, hoping to conquer her biggest fear once and for all.
In the interview, Dena also narrated her struggles to reclaim her footing after the sudden demise of her daughter, a traumatic experience that caused her fear of toddlers.
Lulu Hassan and Kanze Dena have been in each others' social circles both onscreen and offscreen.
The two have co-anchored Citizen TV Swahili news bulletins together for a number of years before Dena was picked by President Uhuru Kenyatta for her current role.
Video Courtesy of Parents Magazine