Media personality and singer Marya Prude has opened up about relocating to United Arab Emirates following her divorce from Willis Raburu, saying the move gave her the space she needed to heal and rediscover herself.
Speaking about the experience, Marya said she realised she could not recover emotionally while remaining in Kenya because she constantly encountered reminders of her past relationship.
“I discovered I cannot heal in this country because every place I went, the same story. ‘Huyu ni ule ex wa nani?’ I was trying to find my identity outside of that. That’s when I left,” she said.
She explained that online conversations were not what affected her most, but rather the face-to-face interactions she encountered in everyday life.
“Online has never affected me. It’s the personal interactions. When I go to a new company, people are just murmuring. I knew I had to leave,” she said.
Two Years in Dubai
Marya revealed that she secured employment in Dubai through a contractor she met while working in Kenya, adding that the relocation process took less than three weeks.
She said living in a place where few people recognised her gave her an opportunity to focus on herself without the constant public attention surrounding her previous marriage.
According to Marya, she remained in Dubai from 2023 until 2025 before deciding to return to Kenya.
“I came back in 2025, and I was like, ‘I’m not going back because I wanted to build something that’s mine.'”
Therapy Played a Key Role
Beyond relocating, Marya credited professional therapy with helping her process the emotional impact of the divorce and rebuild her life.
She said the combination of living in a new environment and attending therapy enabled her to heal and regain a sense of identity independent of her past relationship.
