Call me Adongo! Former news anchor Esther Arunga drops Timberlake name
Former Kenyan news anchor Esther Arunga has legally reverted to her maiden name, Esther Adongo Arunga, 16 years after adopting her husband's surname. The change follows a tumultuous period involving legal issues in Australia and her previous association with a controversial religious movement.
Why it matters
The story highlights the public interest in the life of a once-prominent media figure whose career and personal life were significantly impacted by high-profile legal and religious controversies.
Former news anchor Esther Arunga has formally dropped the surname Timberlake, 16 years after adopting it following her marriage to Quincy Timberlake.
A notice published in the Kenya Gazette on October 9, 2026, confirms that she has reverted to her former name, Esther Adongo Arunga. The notice directs that she should henceforth be identified and addressed by that name.
The development marks a reversal of a decision Arunga announced publicly in March 2010, when she said she had changed her name after exchanging vows with Timberlake.
The notice does not explain why she has abandoned the surname. Although it lists a Nairobi address, it does not independently confirm whether she has returned to Kenya.
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