Zari Hassan: I’d rather leave Shakib than risk my brand

If love becomes a public-relations crisis, Zari Hassan would rather pull the plug than let her marriage damage her brand. And Shakib Lutaaya has been warned.

The socialite and businesswoman, 46, has made it clear that when it comes to choosing between her marriage and her brand, her husband, Shakib Lutaaya, 34, should not expect a tiebreaker.

She says  she would rather walk out of her marriage than get dragged into social media drama involving other women fighting over her husband. In Zari’s world, love may be priceless, but a damaged brand could be an expensive mistake.

Over the weekend, Zari held a Master Class session where she spoke about making money, personal branding, relationships and the business of building a successful life. But it was her take on marriage that stole the show, particularly her firm position on what she would do if another woman entered the picture.

While some women might roll up their sleeves, summon their friends and prepare for a social media showdown, Zari says she would simply exit the scene. No online warfare, no exchanging insults and certainly no fighting for a man who should know where he belongs.

Apparently, the only thing she is prepared to fight for is her brand.

“Those scandals involving other women fighting for men are not for me. If my husband decides to take that route, then it is well, but I won’t be part of it; I will leave him,” she said.

In other words, if Shakib ever becomes the centre of a romantic scandal, Zari will not be asking who the other woman is, how long it has been going on or who started it. She will be asking herself whether the situation is worth the damage to her image.

And if the answer is no, Shakib could find himself single before the online detectives have finished compiling their evidence.

Zari said she has already had the conversation with her husband, making it clear that her brand is not something she is willing to gamble with, even for love.

“I have told my husband that I will choose my brand over and over again because if he really loves me, he won’t put my brand in any mess. If he has a heart for me and knows that it is the job that pays me, he won’t associate with anything dramatic that affects my brand. At the end of the day, we are old enough to make our decisions,” she said.

Zari’s argument is that a partner who genuinely cares about her should understand that her public image is part of her livelihood. Why should she spend years building a name and a business only to watch them become collateral damage in a domestic dispute?

Social media users have praised her for the stance, with some describing her as a brilliant woman who understands the importance of self-worth, independence and protecting what she has built.

Others may wonder whether a marriage can survive when one partner openly declares that their brand comes first. But Zari appears to have made her calculations: a husband is a partner, not a business asset whose mistakes she must keep covering up.

For Shakib, the message is about as subtle as a billboard on Kampala Road. The safest move would be to keep the peace, stay away from unnecessary drama and embrace his role as a supportive husband.