Sixteen years after taking her husband's surname, former television anchor Esther Arunga has officially returned to her former name, Esther Adongo Arunga, following a change recorded in the Kenya Gazette.
The notice, published on October 9, 2026, states that she should henceforth be identified and addressed as Esther Adongo Arunga. It does not explain what prompted the decision to drop the Timberlake name.
Arunga took the surname in March 2010 after marrying Quincy Timberlake, publicly announcing the change at the time. The latest notice marks a return to the name she used before the marriage.
Although the Gazette entry lists a Nairobi address, it does not confirm whether Arunga is currently living in Kenya. Neither does it explain whether the change has any connection to her marital circumstances or future plans.
Arunga previously enjoyed a profile in Kenya's media industry, working at Capital FM and KTN. She won the Chaguo la Teeniez Award for Best Teen TV Anchor in 2008 and was admitted to the bar in Nairobi in 2009.
Her career and public image took a different turn in 2009 when she joined the Finger of God Church, established by musician Joseph Hellon.
In February 2010, Arunga, Hellon and Timberlake announced plans to launch the PlaCenta Party. She resigned from KTN on the same day, drawing attention to her growing involvement with the religious movement.
Arunga and Timberlake later moved to Australia, where they became involved in criminal proceedings after their three-year-old son, Sinclair, died in June 2014.
In 2019, Arunga pleaded guilty to being an accessory to the offence. She was sentenced to 10 months in prison and later released on parole.
Timberlake pleaded guilty to manslaughter in September 2023 after prosecutors dropped the murder charge. He was handed an 11-year prison sentence, with the court taking into account his mental health condition and the period he had already spent in custody.
Reports in June 2026 indicated that Timberlake had completed the custodial part of his sentence but was still being held in immigration detention.
The Gazette notice now formally records Arunga's return to her earlier name. However, it provides no further details about the reasons behind the change or whether it points to a new chapter in her personal or public life.