This archive report was first published on 15 July 2020.
On July 15, 2020, a conversation about the 'missing person' marriage status in Kenya went viral, sparking a heated debate about relationships and trust.
For many couples, marriage is a union of two people who share a life together, but in some cases, one partner may be emotionally, financially, or sexually absent, leaving the other feeling like a 'missing person'.
This phenomenon occurs when one partner betrays the other through infidelity or abuse, leading to a breakdown in the relationship.
As one Kenyan shared, 'If you forgave a man for straying, his love for you will increase, but for a lady, it never does. She stays just to get an exit plan.'
Another person added, 'Men also forget when women cheat. A woman cheated on me and I stayed with her for 16 more years. She still went back to that guy, so I left.'
One woman, who wished to remain anonymous, shared her own experience of being a 'missing person' in marriage. She said, 'I am living with a man, but I am a 'missing person.' I was pregnant at 6 months, and now the baby is 2 years old. I saw texts with another woman on how she enjoyed their intimacy sessions. We are together just to bring up our child, but I do not trust him anymore. I still get him with other ladies.'
