Tribute To Kenya’s Veteran Gospel Singer Mary Atieno

“Huyu ni mwanamke bomba kweli. She is blind but has never let that stop her,” said a netizen.

Veteran gospel singer Mary Atieno has touched the hearts of Kenyans after a video of her performing at a church in Dandora emerged.

The legendary Adamu na Eva hitmaker was fully immersed in her ministry, delivering a soulful performance as congregants joined in worship.

Mary Atieno was born in Kirengo village, Karungu in Nyatike District, Nyanza. She was the first of nine children born to Francis Yara and Polina Ajwang. Her father worked as a headmaster in various schools in Nyanza, and her mother was a housewife. Mary was born blind, but her father realised it when she was five months old, which enabled him to plan her education since he was a teacher himself.She joined Asumbi Mission School and then moved to St. Oda’s Aluor Girls School for the Blind, where she joined a choir called Dodo.

Afterwards, she was enrolled into Thika Salvation Army High School for the Visually Impaired. Mary joined the school choir as well as the Jericho International Choir for Christ. With the latter, she got to perform on stage with Kenyan gospel musician Reuben Kigame, who also has total visual impairment. Singing next to someone who had a similar setback as she, affirmed to Mary that her circumstances did not define her.

During her free time, away from school, she would venture into singing with renowned singer Reuben Kigame.

Back at school, she led the Starlight Choir (comprising 30 students from Form One to Six) in participating within and outside school during major events and State functions.

“One such major event is when the then President Daniel Arap Moi invited us to sing for him.

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