Rose Muhando, the Tanzanian gospel music star who was once the undisputed queen of gospel music in East Africa, says she made most of her millions from her music in Kenya rather than back home.
Bursting onto the scene in 2004 with her powerful, spirit-filled performances, she quickly became a household name, but it was her 2010 megahit 'Nibebe' that she says changed her life for the better, before she suffered a decline.
Tanzania Gospel sensational Rose Muhando performs during Pamoja Concert at Eldoret Sports Club in Eldoret City, Uasin Gishu County, to usher in the New Year 2025.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation
It dominated the radio charts, inspired viral dance routines before the social media era and even found its way into nightclubs — a rare feat for a gospel track.
“In Kenya, 'Nibebe' changed everything for me. I sold hundreds of thousands of copies. The record made me so much money — more than I had ever imagined," she said.
"For the first time in my career, I received a substantial paycheque for a gig in Kenya, earning Sh5 million (TSh94 million). I was paid this money in cash — I could not believe my eyes! That’s when my life began to change. I bought my first luxury car, a Toyota Prado; I built a home and enrolled my children in better schools."
At her peak, Rose was performing to sold-out crowds across the region.
Her success paved the way for a new generation of Swahili gospel artists and established her as one of East Africa’s most successful musicians, but fame also brought turbulence.
Allegations of mismanagement, health struggles and controversial public appearances gradually dimmed her once-blinding spotlight.
By the late 2010s, the same tabloids that had once celebrated her were now questioning her sanity and faith.
Yet, even after years of ups and downs, Rose Muhando remains a defining figure, a living testament to the power, pain and paradox of gospel stardom in East Africa.
