Former Kenyan television presenter Esther Arunga has returned to her maiden name, formally ending her use of the surname Timberlake more than a decade after marrying Quincy Timberlake.
The name change was recorded in a notice published in the Kenya Gazette on October 9, 2026. According to the notice, Arunga has abandoned the name Esther Adongo Timberlake and will henceforth be identified as Esther Adongo Arunga.
The legal notice follows a deed poll dated October 2, 2026. It does not give a reason for the change or explain whether it is connected to developments in her marriage.
Although the document lists a Nairobi address, it does not confirm Arunga’s current place of residence. She has also not publicly explained the decision in the notice.
Arunga rose to prominence through her work in Kenyan broadcasting, becoming a recognisable face among television audiences. She worked at Capital FM and KTN and received the Best Teen TV Anchor award at the 2008 Chaguo la Teeniez Awards. She also qualified as an advocate after being admitted to the bar in Nairobi in 2009.
Her career and public image changed significantly after she became involved with the Finger of God Church, established by musician Joseph Hellon. In February 2010, Arunga, Hellon and Timberlake announced plans to form the PlaCenta Party. Arunga resigned from KTN that same day, drawing attention to her departure from journalism and her growing involvement in the religious movement.
Arunga’s marriage to Timberlake
She subsequently married Timberlake and adopted his surname. The couple later relocated to Australia, where they faced criminal proceedings following the death of their young son.
Their three-year-old son, Sinclair, died in June 2014, leading to a case that attracted considerable attention in Kenya and Australia.
Arunga pleaded guilty in 2019 to being an accessory to the offence connected to the child’s death. She was sentenced to 10 months in prison and later released on parole.
Timberlake’s case continued for several years. In September 2023, he pleaded guilty to manslaughter after prosecutors dropped the murder charge. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison, with the court taking his mental health and time already spent in custody into consideration.
In June 2026, reports indicated that Timberlake had completed the custodial portion of his sentence but remained in immigration detention.
Arunga’s latest legal move restores the name associated with her life before marriage and the events that brought her prolonged public attention. However, the change alone does not establish whether she and Timberlake have separated or whether she plans to return to Kenya’s media industry.
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