Murugi Munyi certainly didn’t anticipate that her casual talk about her annoyance with scented candles would turn into one of those little glimpses into what true marriage is like. Not the one on Instagram. The real version in which two individuals who have chosen each other are nevertheless at odds over something as obviously insignificant as whether or not a bedroom should smell like vanilla.
She was genuinely irritated. Zach her spouse dislikes the scent of scented candles in their bedroom. It is too powerful. Not enough. She’s learnt to switch them off as soon as he gets home from work because he complains when they’re lit. She now lights them in the morning and extinguishes them at night. a tiny recurring capitulation that likely irritates her more than she first admitted.
Zach doesn’t enjoy the scent of scented candles in the bedroom which is what really bothers me she added her tone bearing the weight of someone who truly doesn’t get the reasoning. How come someone wouldn’t enjoy a perfumed candle? She relaxes thanks to the scent. After hard days of overseeing content development commercial endeavors and raising three children she does this as part of her decompression ritual. She views lighting a candle as a necessity rather than a luxury. It’s an unwelcome imposition to him.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Murugi Munyi |
| Profession | Digital Content Creator, Media Personality, Entrepreneur |
| Husband | Zach Munyi (Zack) |
| Years of Marriage | 9 years (as of March 2026) |
| Children | Two daughters (with Zach), one son (from previous relationship) |
| Notable Work | TMI Podcast Co-host |
| Residence | Kenya (husband works in UK) |
| Notable Milestone | 9th Wedding Anniversary (March 11, 2026) |
| Public Controversies | 2022 infidelity allegations involving husband and Nurse Judy |
| Social Media | Active on Instagram |
There is this minor domestic conflict in a marriage that has already endured far bigger storms. After nine years of marriage to Zach Murugi has discovered that the kind of fortitude needed for longevity differs from the romantic variety. He works in the UK while she oversees her family and career in Kenya thus she has learned it via distance. She discovered this through a public controversy that erupted on social media in 2022 after her husband and a US based nurse named Judy were accused of infidelity. The day to day unglamorous effort of maintaining a blended family across countries has taught her this lesson.
In contrast to everything else they’ve dealt with the scented candle dispute is almost refreshingly straightforward. However it also highlights something more difficult to describe: how marriage isn’t actually about the major events. It’s about the thousand little conversations that take place in bedrooms vehicles and kitchens. It’s about realizing that the person you deeply love can be utterly perplexed by what makes you feel at ease.
Murugi recognized its ridiculousness but did not completely embrace it. Men just don’t know or don’t like good things because why would you not like a scented candle? Her frustration is humorous but beneath it lies something more sincere: the knowledge that she’s sacrificed something she likes because the person sharing her bedroom finds it awkward. While he’s at work she ignites them. Before he gets back she turns them off. It’s a modest accommodation that costs her money each and every time.
Her casual description of this arrangement is noteworthy. She doesn’t present it as a major sacrifice or an indication of more serious issues. She seems to be arguing that it’s just what married people do. You have a desire. Your spouse does not. You find a solution. I can’t just light them anytime I want because we share a bedroom. I have to make a concession she said. The reality of marriage and a sense of resignation are both present in that sentence. Theoretically compromise makes sense. In actuality it entails consistently putting the comfort of others ahead of your own.
Understanding why something like scented candles important in a different way is further enhanced by the chronology of Murugi and Zach’s relationship. He was both excited and worn out when they got married while she was pregnant as she has stated. They were unable to enjoy the luxury of a leisurely courtship or a honeymoon free from pressing family obligations. They plunged themselves into the intricacies of blended family life. They have been a long distance couple for more than nine years with Murugi occasionally traveling to the UK to spend time with him. There she publicly gushed about him on his 40th birthday saying You are everything I could hope for in a partner.
November 2022 when screenshots of Zach and Nurse Judy’s talks went viral is also included in the nine year period. There were allegations of adultery amid the controversy. When questioned Murugi’s reaction was typically evasive. She brushed off the fascination stating that she wasn’t going to waste time defending herself against allegations and that Kenyans read headlines without looking for deeper facts. She stated pragmatically Leave people who have been naked together alone implying that she has moved past the controversy even if the world hasn’t.
The fact that they are still together is striking. Anniversaries are still celebrated. He is still referred to by Murugi as her king anchor and strength. However discussions about perfumed candles continue. Even now there are times when he becomes annoyed by what makes her feel better. Perhaps this is what Murugi is actually saying when she discusses the candles: that her marriage endures despite not being flawless or even especially harmonious on all fronts. Small accommodations and ongoing choice help it survive.
It’s worth taking a closer look at the nine year milestone. Murugi has been candid about attributing her marriage’s longevity to understanding and patience. Listening to her discuss the candles however reveals another component that she hasn’t mentioned: the capacity to have strong desires and then continually fail to fulfill them without allowing the bitterness to worsen. That isn’t exactly mutual understanding. That is perseverance disguised as compromise.
Murugi seems to have reached a stage in her marriage where she has come to terms with the fact that certain things will never change. In their bedroom Zach will never enjoy scented candles. She’ll always want them to be there. And they will continue to resolve this minor issue by accommodating each other’s demands even when those needs clash just as they have resolved more significant ones.
The candle anecdote may have struck a chord with her audience because it is so commonplace. While hardly all marriages endure long distance separation and public accusations of adultery almost all marriages experience minor recurring problems. People in almost all marriages have to give up something they love because someone else doesn’t. Murugi’s willingness to discuss this candidly not defensively not as an indication of issues but just as a fact of living together suggests a marriage that has transcended the need to look perfect.
i) https://www.pulse.co.ke/story/us-based-nurse-judy-explains-relationship-status-with-murugi-munyi-after-cheating-2024072914594596106
ii) https://www.ghafla.co.ke/ke/murugi-munyis-anniversary-reflecting-on-their-journey-together/
iii) https://www.tuko.co.ke/people/relationships/503491-murugi-munyi-moon-reunites-hubby-uk-lord/
iv) https://www.mpasho.co.ke/entertainment/2025-11-04-murugi-munyi-reveals-husbands-unexpected-b