Reality TV star and entrepreneur Zarina Hassan, popularly known as Zari the Boss Lady, has arrived in Kenya with her son, Raphael Ssemwanga, to finalise a business deal on Thursday, January 23, 2025.
The Ugandan socialite, who is one of the standout cast members in the recently released season three of Netflix’s reality show Young, Famous & African, landed on Wednesday, January 22, 2025.
While at the airport, Zari took a moment to speak with journalists, where she passionately shared her admiration for Kenya and its vibrant cuisine, particularly her fondness for dishes like sukuma wiki, which she says keeps her coming back.
The entrepreneur, who was once married to Tanzanian bongo flava icon Diamond Platnumz, revealed that Kenya holds a special place in her heart and feels like a second home.
“Kenya, first of all, is home,” Zari said.
Kenyan cuisine
Speaking to the media at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Zari recounted that she had had a very turbulent flight but quickly brightened up when discussing her love for Kenyan food.
She specifically highlighted sukuma wiki and nyama choma, describing them as Kenya’s culinary trademarks and her personal favourites.
“Your food—sukuma wiki, nyama choma—and I mean, that’s the trademark. It’s something I can’t miss,” she said enthusiastically.
Fans
When asked how Tanzanians might react to her professing such love for Kenya, Zari dismissed any concerns, confidently stating that they would eventually accept it.
She pointed out that her Ugandan fans, from her home country, had already come to terms with her affection for Kenya and moved on, adding that Tanzanians would likely follow suit.
“Tanzanians, you will be fine. Trust me—even Ugandans have accepted it,” she said.
Elevating son’s career
The South Africa-based actress also shared that she brought her son, Raphael, along on this trip as part of her larger plans to nurture his budding career in the film industry.
She explained that Raphael has been shooting behind-the-scenes videos during their travels, and she felt Kenya was the perfect place for him to continue honing his craft, thanks to the country’s warm and welcoming people.
“My son is getting into the film industry and is actually working on behind-the-scenes videos of everything happening wherever we go. So I thought, look, let me take you to Kenya—come meet Kenyan people because you guys are always so welcoming,” she said.
Raphael Tiale Ssemwanga, Zari’s second-born son, is the child of her late ex-husband Ivan Semwanga, a Ugandan-born South African socialite.
Ivan was a prominent member of the self-styled Rich Gang group, well-known in both South Africa and Uganda.
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