" RESPECT ME":ZARI REJECTS 'FEMALE JONASI' LABEL

Ugandan socialite and businesswoman Zari Hassan has strongly dismissed claims by some Kenyan social media users who have likened her to Jonasi Gomora, the controversial lead character in Netflix's hit drama The Polygamist.

The comparisons emerged after Zari shared her thoughts on the trending series, where she admitted that some of Jonasi's behaviour reminded her of her late father. Her comments quickly sparked debate online, with some netizens branding her the "female version of Jonasi" because of her highly publicised relationships.

Jonasi, portrayed by S'dumo Mtshali, is depicted as a wealthy businessman who hides behind the idea of traditional polygamy while secretly juggling multiple women and deceiving those closest to him. Since the show's release, the character has become one of the most talked-about figures on African social media, with many viewers using him as a symbol of betrayal and infidelity.

Reacting through a TikTok video, Zari laughed off the comparison before making it clear that she does not see any resemblance between herself and the fictional character.

"So I just landed on a page, I think it is in Kenya about the whole Jonasi situation, you know Zari says Jonasi bla bla bla, yeah I get it. But the comment section was like Zari is a female version of Jonasi. Guys I am dead. Me? Zari? A female version? Haven't we had this topic before? I am nowhere close to being a female version of Jonasi. Number one, I date one person at a time."

She insisted that her relationship history has always been defined by commitment rather than overlapping romances, arguing that critics were drawing conclusions based on internet gossip rather than facts.
"Jonasi played different women, different times. How is that even close? You guys have been disrespecting me for long, but this, Zari is a female version of Jonasi? Babe, I date one person at a time. I don't play guys. Some of you are leaving comments because of the things they have seen here and there on the internet. Have you even watched the series?"

The 45- year old mother of five went on to defend her reputation, saying every man she has been in a relationship with can attest to her loyalty.
"I don't have a body count. You can tell. She has been with this one. This is you sleeping with so many different people in a week. Meanwhile I am still sleeping with the same person for five years. I am demanding that you start respecting me. Do not compare me to being a female version of Jonasi. One thing about good women, we are never noticed."

Her remarks echo comments she made recently while defending her dating history following her split from Ugandan businessman Shakib Cham Lutaaya. Zari argued that the public often exaggerates the number of relationships she has had simply because every aspect of her personal life unfolds in the public eye.

According to the reality TV star, currently based in South Africa, each of her major relationships lasted for several years, making it unfair to portray her as someone who constantly moves from one partner to another.

Before her marriage to Shakib, Zari was married to the late Ugandan businessman Ivan Ssemwanga, with whom she had three children. She later entered a high-profile relationship with Tanzanian music star Diamond Platnumz, and the two share two children before ending their relationship in 2018.

While online debate over The Polygamist continues to dominate social media conversations, Zari has made her position unmistakably clear: she believes her dating history should not be equated to the deceitful lifestyle portrayed by Jonasi, insisting that she has always been committed to one partner at a time.