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- Jilted lover invests everything for Stella to go abroad, he waits patiently for her return so as to marry her. She arrives with a baby and husband a scenario that took atoll on Freshly Mwamburi's life and he later expressed his love story in a song
Freshly Mwamburi is the man behind the making of every May 17, notable for Kenyans following his lifetime banger –' Stella Wangu'. This classic Benga hit recorded in 1992 by the Everest Kings Band has been celebrated yearly since its release.
Thirty-two years after the song was in the limelight, questions arise on the truthfulness of the love/ hate story. Mwamburi insists that it is a true story and that Stella, his first love, ditched him for a short Japanese man, as the song describes.
The jilted lover invested everything, including selling his property for Stella to go to Japan for higher education.
Despite affirming that Stella did that, his former band leader Abdul Muyonga says she does not exist and is just a fictional character.
"It is good for Kenyans to know that in the song, Stella was just a fictional character. They should also stop looking for her come May 17. Stella never existed! ," said Muyonga.
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This has continued the commemoration of Stella's return from Japan. On May 17, 1992, the much anticipated day, Mwamburi asked his friends to make their way to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to welcome her back, hoping to marry her.
To his distress, Stella arrived with a baby and a short Japanese husband. A mark of quality dust it was! With the trend of men being manipulated upon eating their 'fare' by women who fail to show up, to Mwamburi, it was more than just the 'airfare.' It took a toll on his life.
The song has a life of its own, always fresh 32 years later. Kenyans on social media do create hilarious memes when they question Stella's return. Others joke about it as a 'character development of the age,' while men tell others to learn from the story.
The trending Stella's return is commonly viral on X and WhatsApp statuses. Fans promise to keep the legend alive and always wait for Stella.
@AlexChesosi: "I headed to JKIA to await Stella's return."
@ItsKyuleNgao: "Men, Stella landing at JKIA on a day like this is a lesson to Mwamburi and all the other guys. Women do not reward hyper-gamy. Focus on your purpose and goals. Women do not care about your sacrifices. Do not send Uber money or pay school fees."
@Its_Elchapo: "Freshly Mwamburi's song should teach you that whenever your Stella gets an opportunity to go abroad, get to JKIA, bid her goodbye and get yourself another Stella.
Mwamburi, in an interview with The Standard in 2021, expressed the effects of the song on his marriage since his wife Dorcas Nduku was uncomfortable, but they later made peace and moved on. Mwamburi is happily married with five kids, yet not with Stella anyway.
The question remains about how many Stella's are out there; will their stories be different upon return?
