JIMMI GATHU ON GROWING UP KARIOKOR, MEETING HIS WIFE CATHY AND WHY HE DOESN’T HAVE SCANDALS

Spice FM radio presenter Jimmi Gathu has shared details of his childhood, love life, and parenthood, raising their three daughters – Chantal, Jasmine and Wambui.

In a candid interview with Standard Digital, the actor and TV personality disclosed that he was raised in the then slum area of Kariokor,in shared custody alongside his brother, Nyosh Gathu. “I was born and raised in Kariokor. When my father passed away, things were really bad, but we had to survive. When he was there, we lived a certain lifestyle, but after his demise, things changed. I still go there because my brother lives in the same house. Things have changed a lot. Our Kariokor was tough,” he said.

On how he met his wife, Gathu recalled their first meeting when he saw Cathy and fell head over heels in love, and decided to approach her, but she was in a hurry and gave him her phone number while she was leaving, and the smitten Gathu has never forgot the number to date. “Cathy gave me her number while she was walking. I didn’t write it down, but I still have it in my mind. I later called her, and we started our thing.”

The couple later tied a knot and was blessed with children, whom they have raised with devout care. Their kids studied in the prestigious Brookhouse International School after landing a half scholarship owing to their intelligence. Gathu pointed out that they were determined to give them quality education that would allow for self-dependency in the future.

Further, he stated that he shuns the limelight because he is a role model to his kids, and his family is a priority because it offers him refuge when he faces tough times, such as when he lost his job at Nation FM in 2016.

“Somebody once told me my brand is very boring because I don’t have scandals. But I think I was lucky because I made a decision. I’m I a husband and a father first, or I’m Jimmi Gathu the public figure first. I made a choice. I am a husband and a father first. My career has been a job, and it was a choice. Because of family, Cathy was tough. She reminded me that we’ve got kids and I should conduct myself in a certain way.”