Legendary gospel singer Esther Wahome, famed for her song 'Kuna Dawa', has for the first time opened up about the personal struggles and mockery she faced upon discovering her son was autistic.
In an emotional interview with Lynn Ngugi, Wahome, who has been a minister of the gospel for more than three decades, revealed that her father, also a musician and minister, inspired her to pursue music.
Wahome, who has largely kept her family life private, has been married for 27 years. She got married at the young age of 22, and together with her husband, they have three children.
The peak of her career coincided with the birth of her second child, a son, and when he son was two years old, she discovered he was autistic. This marked the beginning of her long journey of dealing with an autistic child.
Amidst this challenge, Wahome discovered she was pregnant with her third child, which left her anxious about handling all the pressure.
Despite the struggles, Wahome appreciated the support of fellow singer Sarah K, who stood by her during this tough period.
She also had the support of her husband, who, she said, would sometimes stay up all night with their autistic son and still head to work the next morning.
For Wahome, her singing career took a backseat as she focused on addressing her son's condition.
She was heartbroken to discover that some of her close friends were actually pleased about her predicament, glad that she might never sing again.
READ: 9 Kenyan songstresses who have maintained their vocal magic for decades
Surprisingly, this period was when Wahome received the most gigs. Her prayer was for her son to receive healing, as she faced mockery for singing about healing while her son struggled to find his own.
"When my son was five years old, I told God I had prayed for many miracles, which had happened, and at that time, I prayed for the same. I heard people saying, 'She prays for others to be healed, yet her own son hasn't been healed,'" she noted.
However, Wahome revealed she continually prayed, and her prayers were answered when her son eventually said 'teacher' while in school.
Later, he began to speak more words and now speaks fluently, a development Wahome regards as her testimony.
"Right now, the guy speaks fluent English with an American accent. The boy does everything independently; that is my testimony," Wahome shared.
She disclosed that her son is talented in singing and that they will unveil his talent when the time is right.