Ephy Saint's heated dispute with vlogger Chantelle Petit sparks online debate

Actor Ephy Saint and vlogger Chantelle Petit. [Courtesy/Instagram]

Ephy Saint, an actor known for his role in the popular Kenyan TV show Tahidi High, has brought to light a personal dispute with vlogger Chantelle Petit.

The actor uploaded a sequence of videos to his Instagram, vividly portraying a contentious exchange with Petit. In one clip, Petit is seen inside a vehicle with a lit matchstick, prompting a visibly upset Saint to query, "What are you doing? What is this?" Her actions led Saint to claim, "Let her burn it. Let her burn it all. What is this? What is she doing?"

The dispute intensified when Saint accused Petit of aggressive behaviour and barring him from seeing their child. "Amenigonga hapa mara ngapi mtoi akiwa? And then she tells me I'm not allowed to see my child again because I'm calling her out," he claimed.

Saint further described the difficulties of raising a child with Petit and the complications arising from disagreements over schooling and financial contributions. "I'm trying to raise this child with this woman. I have other children with other people," he explained.

As he continued to record the event, women in the background could be heard urging him to calm down and stop filming.

Despite this, Saint later took to his Instagram stories to justify his actions, stating, "The only safe way to get out of a situation with a babe is to either record and put it online because she might go tell her own story and I was not ready to lose my character again. I'm sorry."

Saint acknowledged that he was not trying to depict himself as superior but felt compelled to share his side of the story for fear of misrepresentation and damage to his reputation.

He expressed regret that the public has to witness such a personal aspect of co-parenting but hoped that sharing his experience might serve as a lesson to others.

"I'm not here to hurt anyone, I just here to try and experience life and build a family. So it's sad you guys get to see this side of co-parenting and I hope you learn from it coz I'm learning something from this," said Saint.

Saint later continued to document on his Instagram, sharing videos that highlight Kikuyu traditions and their influence on co-parenting practices.

However, at the time of publishing, Petit was yet to publicly respond to Saint's posts on the dispute.

The public's response to the videos has been varied, with comments flooding in on social media platforms.

One user, @stella_chepot, noted, "The other side of the story we've never seen."

Another, @ndiranguwangechi, questioned Saint's actions, asking, "What did you do ndo afike hapo?" implying that there might be more to the story than what was shown in the video.

Some comments expressed empathy towards Saint's situation, like @camil_254, who remarked on the difficulty of co-parenting: "Having to raise a baby with someone you don't see eye to eye [with] is so draining."

Others opted to give advice, with @obyzy suggesting, "Boss your woman is already depressed, I just think you should handle her differently. Try and figure out what led to her getting there."

The incident has also sparked a broader discussion about gender roles and mental health, as reflected in the comments. @miss_warz raised concerns about the impact of the drama on the child, "Women...my gender shida ni gani? Toxicity hadi Shule? ... think about your child being talked about in school by other kids."

Others advocated for the well-being of the child and the hope for a peaceful resolution. Commenters like @faithashon highlighted the emotional toll on Petit, "The other day she posted that she was going through a lot and all. I hope she finds the help she needs."

In 2019, Chantelle Petit and Ephy Saint engaged in a public spat on social media regarding their past relationship. Petit claimed that her relationship with Saint was fraught with difficulties and that he caused her significant emotional distress, an accusation Saint dismissed.

Petit expressed her exasperation on social media, accusing Saint of deceit and emotional manipulation. "My baby daddy has been talking trash about me on the web, and I'm fed up. He is a pathological liar who has hurt so many women over the years. I think it's time to expose him because I'm tired of the mind games he plays," her post read.

She described falling for Saint's assurances of love and commitment, only to feel devalued and unsure of her worth due to the alleged emotional abuse, especially after discovering she was pregnant.

Saint responded by asserting that he had taken a new direction in life, emphasizing his dedication as a father, albeit acknowledging his shortcomings in marriage.

"I raise my daughter alone, of course with help, but I have changed more diapers than most men double my age. I am the best dad ever but a sh** husband I have been told," Saint expressed.

Furthermore, Saint issued a public apology to those he may have wronged in the past, signalling his intention to settle any unresolved issues.

"If I owe you...soon you will get paid. If I ever hurt you, imagine I am sorry, and I pray nothing but good things come your way," he declared.