Actress Catherine Kamau, popularly known as Kate Actress, has stirred buzz online after seemingly congratulating her former personal assistant, Mukami Maina, who is rumored to be dating her ex-husband, film director Phil Karanja.
The speculation comes after Karanja, a former Tahidi High actor turned director, went public with his relationship with Mukami.
He posted a romantic picture with her on Instagram, tagging her with a love emoji.
Adding to the intrigue, Mukami, now a digital manager and content producer, once worked as Kate’s PA.
Unbothered by the chatter, the Selina star reshared an old Instagram video of herself partying with Mukami.
She captioned it, “To happiness, baby girl @mukami_maina.”
Mukami quickly replied, “And to you, too. Can we start shooting now?”
Kate Actress, and Karanja ended their marriage in 2023 after six years together, citing irreconcilable differences. They share one daughter.
Since the split, both have moved on. Catherine is now dating Michael Mwangi, the General Manager of Tribe Hotel, while Karanja continues to grow his career in film production.
Reactions to Phil’s announcement and Mukami’s link to Kate were mixed.
Many fans sent congratulatory messages.
Angie wrote on Instagram, “I don’t know why, but I’m genuinely happy for him. May this work for him.”
Another fan, Dorcy Mueni, added, “I hope it works out for him… He seems to be a nice guy.”
Lilian pointed out, “The only person I have seen 99.9% of Kenyans not hating/trolling ni Huyu Phil…. May God bless your union sir.”
Over the past decade, Karanja has established himself as a respected filmmaker. After starting out as an actor, he transitioned behind the camera and co-founded Phil-It Productions, which has produced hit Kenyan TV shows such as Mother-In-Law, Hapa Kule News, Real House Helps of Kawangware, Hullabaloo Estate, and Sue na Johnnie.