In a recent episode of Zabe, hosted by Oga Obinna and Kartelo, fans were treated to a surprise guest brought in by Kartelo, who jokingly introduced her as a “gift” to Obinna.
After being asked to close his eyes, Obinna opened them only to find an 85cm-tall lady seated next to him, much to his shock. Kartelo then exited the stage, leaving the two to have an impromptu and heartfelt conversation.
To get a better view of his guest, Obinna asked her to stand on the couch they were seated on. To his amazement, even while she was standing, she was still shorter than him while he remained seated.
“Don’t Call Me ‘Mguna’”.
Obinna began the conversation by asking Alice if she liked the name “Mguna,” which Kartelo had used to refer to her. She was quick to express her disapproval.
“It’s not a good name. It’s actually offensive that people think they can just call short people, ‘Mguna’,” she said.
Obinna then asked what name she preferred, given that many of the names used to describe people with dwarfism can be hurtful.
“I’m a person just like you. Call me Alice. We don’t even use the word ‘dwarf’. If you call me that, I will come for you,” she responded firmly.
Living in the Spotlight—Even When She Doesn’t Want To
Alice went on to describe the challenges of constantly drawing attention wherever she goes.
“I’ll walk into a crowd, and everything goes quiet. I’ve gotten used to it. I remember going to a burial once—when I arrived, everything stopped, even the pastor. Everyone watched me take my seat before the ceremony resumed.”
She added that she’s often told she’s the shortest person people have ever seen—even by other short individuals.
“People say, ‘We’ve seen short people, but not as short as you.’ But I’m okay with it,” she smiled.
“I Love Myself—And I Know I’m Beautiful”
Despite the challenges, Alice shared that she receives an overwhelming amount of love and admiration from the public.
“I even wear makeup and beautiful dresses. I love creating awareness and helping people understand that we’re just like everyone else.”
She stressed the importance of creativity in navigating daily life.
“At home, I do everything by myself. I’ve arranged my space so I can move around comfortably. I use stools to reach high places, and I switch off lights using a mop.”
Style, Savings, and Self-Sufficiency
Alice revealed that one of the perks of her stature is that she spends less on clothes—but she’s intentional about where she shops.
“I don’t buy clothes from the baby section because most of them have baby designs. But I have a plug who gets me stylish clothes at very affordable prices.”
“Yes, I Can Give Birth—But It’s Costly”
In a final and more intimate question, Obinna asked whether Alice could have children.
“Yes, I can give birth, but for us it’s very expensive. We carry our babies for eight months, and we’re advised to stay on bed rest for five of those months due to the physical toll. We’re basically advised to stay at home throughout the pregnancy.”
by kelvin njenga
