Nominated Senator Hezena Lemaletian has, for the first time, addressed the reasons behind her decision to instruct her elders to cancel her engagement and return the groom’s dowry.
During an interview with entertainment journalists last weekend at a YY Comedian comedy event, Lemaletian suggested that concerns related to Gender Based Violence (GBV) influenced her choice.
She expressed her desire to serve as a positive example, especially to women, emphasizing the importance of valuing one’s life above all else. “I strongly condemn any form of GBV, and I just hope I can be a role model to somebody because I just sent back my dowry a few months ago and I don’t care about that. I have not broken a finger or a leg to do that,” said the senator from Samburu.
Lemaletian called on women to stand against oppressive cultural and traditional practices that have historically depicted them as weaker than men. She urged women to reject the stereotype that they must endure suffering patiently within marriage.
She further advised women not to tolerate abusive relationships merely to conform to societal expectations, noting that the harm caused by such marriages affects the individual and their immediate family, rather than society at large.
On May 16, 2025, Lemaletian disclosed that she had changed her mind about marrying her fiancé, with whom she had announced an engagement in October 2024.
The senator explained that elders from her Samburu community carried out an extensive background check on the groom’s family and uncovered troubling information, which led them to halt the marriage process and return the dowry paid upfront.
In her statement, Lemaletian clarified that contrary to recent reports, she is not married and has no intention of marrying the man.
