Quincy Timberlake

Quincy Zuma Wambitta Timberlake (born 22 April 1980) is a Kenyan political activist, occulist, and former presidential candidate, now resident in Australia.[1] Along with Esther Arunga and Joseph Hellon, he is the co-founder of the PlaCenta Party (Platinum Centraliser and Unionist Party) of Kenya, which according to its manifesto aims "to promote and protect individual rights and freedoms set forth in the Kenyan Constitution and to limit the scope of national government authority and spending."[2][3]

Quincy Timberlake
Personal details
Born (1980-04-22) 22 April 1980
Homa Bay, Kenya
Political partyPlatinum Centralizer and Unionist Party of Kenya (PlaCenta Party of Kenya)
Spouse(s)
Esther and Rose Mueni, Timberlake
​
​
(m. 2010)​
Residence(s)Kallangur, Queensland, Australia
OccupationEngineer, musician, political activist
Websiteplacentapartyofkenya.net

Timberlake came into the public eye after announcing his political ambitions in 2010[4] and declaring that he would run for the Langata Constituency before the promulgation of the constitution. He later announced that he would contest the 2017 presidential election.[5]

Politics

The PlaCenta Party of Kenya was founded by Hellon, Timberlake and Arunga while they were still members of Hellon's Finger of God church.[6] Hellon later broke ties with the couple, claiming they had attempted to defraud him.[1][7]

According to the party website, Project Take Back Kenya is an effort to break the rotational pattern of parties replacing names but featuring the same politicians at every election. The party's stated objective is to "thrash the elite stranglehold on liberty, uniting Kenya's culturally diverse patriots who embrace traditional family values and restoring freedom of worship and expression."[8]

In 2010 Timberlake announced his intention to run for Prime Minister in the 2012 elections. A new Constitution was passed in the same year, bringing major amendments to the governing structure of the country.[9] Timberlake then shifted his goal to contesting for the presidency. A number of court charges followed, which would have hindered him from contesting according to the law. Timberlake abandoned his presidential ambition and contested the seat of Lang'ata, the former PM's constituency.[10]

Controversy and arrest
Timberlake arriving from Nyayo House under tight security to face charges of being a member of a cult before Chief Magistrate Gilbert Mutembei

In February 2010, Hellon, Timberlake and Arunga announced their entry into politics under the umbrella of the PlaCenta Party of Kenya, with Hellon contesting for the presidency and Arunga for the seat of Karachuonyo Constituency and as a contender for the seat of Deputy President.[11][12] On the same day that they made the announcement, Arunga resigned from her job as a news anchor at Kenya Television Network. Within hours of the announcement, Arunga and Hellon were arrested for being members of an illegal society, the Finger of God, an evangelical church which Mrs Timberlake had attended for a year. The church had been registered as legal by the government 5 years previously. Computers and laptops were destroyed, documents confiscated and vehicles impounded.[13][14] Timberlake was also arrested; while the rest of the group was released on bail after 2 days, he and Arunga were held in police custody. They both claim to have been isolated and tortured.[15] Timberlake spent months behind bars but was finally released with no charges in May 2011. Arunga, who had previously broken off her engagement to another church member, married him on 3 March while he was still in custody.[16]

After being released from custody, Timberlake remained under house arrest for several months on suspicion of being in the country illegally[17] and planning a revolt against the government.[18][19] The arrests were widely publicised.[20]

The couple was presented before the court on charges including being members of an illegal society (the Finger of God) and illegally holding passports from various countries.[21] The cases were postponed for several months. At the trial Assistant Commissioner of Police Samuel Chumo testified that nothing unusual was found at Hellon's house.[22] The court dismissed a total of 36 charges.[23][24][25][26][27][28][29]

The couple stated that given constant attacks from the media they could no longer live in the country and that they were forced to flee.[25][30][31] After a short period in Dubai, they have since resettled in Australia, where Timberlake considered working with the Australian Labor Party.[32]

Personal life

Timberlake married Esther Arunga on 3 March 2010.[16][33][34] She is a barrister with degrees from the University of Wollongong and as of July 2012 works at the New South Wales Supreme Court.[35] She was previously a television and radio news anchor and journalist,[36] having worked for the Kenya Television Network and before that at 98.4 Capital FM in Nairobi.[37][38] During her time as a radio presenter, she focused on issues facing Kenyans such as their day to day livelihoods and inequality. After being arrested along with her husband and Hellon, Arunga sued her parents, a leading psychiatrist, the Attorney General and the Kenya Police for wrongful imprisonment and torture.[16][39]

In June 2014, the elder of the couple's sons died at their home.[40] The couple reported that he had fallen down stairs while playing, but on 2 September, Timberlake was charged with his murder.[41][42] Later Timberlake's wife Esther was charged as an accessory and was released on bail. She gave new evidence that her husband had used traditional Kenyan healing techniques on the boy and had pressed his stomach repeatedly and thrown him against a wall, and that he had received treatment for mental problems after the boy died.[43][44] In April 2016 he was readmitted to mental hospital after reportedly being violent towards his wife and others.[45]

References
  1. Kerongo, Grace. "Finger of God: Trouble in Paradise" Archived 8 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine, The Star, 14 January 2011.
  2. "Placenta Party of Kenya" Archived 24 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 20 October 2013.
  3. Mango, Carole. "Hellon Arunga tell Coast youth to reject draft" Archived 24 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine, The Star, 4 August 2010.
  4. "Kenya Decides, Quincy Timberlake" Archived 24 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 6 October 2013.
  5. Arlington, Darling. "PlaCenta Party of Kenya to contest 2017 Presidential elections" Archived 30 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Politico, 19 October 2011.
  6. "The Finger of God Trio Plans". Citizen TV, 18 March 2010, Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
  7. "Joseph Helon Explains what happened to Esther Arunga", KTN Kenya, 3 June 2014
  8. "Message from the President" Archived 24 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Platinum Centraliser and Unionist Party. Retrieved on 20 October 2013.
  9. "Landmark moment as new Kenyan Constitution takes effect", Voice of America. 26 August 2010.
  10. Kenya Decides. "Quincy Timberlake for Lang'ata Constituency MP 2013" Archived 24 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine, IEBC, 15 July 2010. Retrieved on 16 October 2013.
  11. Kenya Decides 2013. "Esther Timberlake for Karachuonyo Constituency MP 2013" Archived 18 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine, IEBC, 1 October 2012. Retrieved on 16 October 2013.
  12. "The Finger of God Trio Plans", Citizen TV, 18 March 2010, Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
  13. "Police arrest Arunga, Hellon" The Daily Nation, 21 February 2010
  14. Momanyi, Bernard. "Esther Arunga and Joseph Hellon arrested". Capital FM, 22 February 2010.
  15. Kenyan Daily Post, "How Raila ordered Esther Arunga's forceful abortion" Archived 8 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Jambo News Spot, 14 July 2012, Retrieved on 21 October 2013.
  16. "Esther Arunga weds Quincy Timberlake", Capital FM, 4 March 2010.
  17. Ombati, Cyrus. "Timberlake held in probe into his nationality", Nairobi, 2 April 2010, Retrieved on 16 October 2013.
  18. Thuku, Wahome. "Quincy Timberlake charged for passport forgery", The Standard, 28 April 2010.
  19. Ochami, David. "Khalwale wants troublesome foreigners kicked out", The Standard, 11 March 2010.
  20. Okungu, Jerry. "Esther Arunga; TV Personality Dominates Kenyan Media for One Whole Week", AfroArticles, 24 February 2010, Retrieved on 16 October 2013.
  21. Kwamboka, Evelyn, "Arunga Charged With Being a Member of an Unlawful Sect.", The Standard, 11 March 2010.
  22. Daily Nation. "Nothing 'Unusual' at Finger of God House,", The Daily Nation 31 May 2010.
  23. Muchiri, John and Ngaira, Amos. "Arunga's partner tells all", The Daily Nation, 9 April 2010.
  24. Mukei, Catherine and Kerongo, Grace. "Esther Arunga was 'psychologically manipulated" Archived 24 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine, The Star, 24 January 2011.
  25. Muendo, Stevens. "Esther Arunga: My life is in danger", The Standard, 3 July 2012.
  26. Kerongo, Grace. "Someone help Esther Arunga's Children!" Archived 25 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine, The Star, 6 July 2012.
  27. Muendo, Stevens. "This is my confession", The Standard, 29 October 2010.
  28. Kwamboka, Evelyn. "Hellon charged, Arunga takes tests", The Standard, 23 February 2010.
  29. Ombati, Cyrus. "Timberlake held in probe into his nationality", The Standard, 2 April 2010.
  30. Muendo, Stevens. "Arrest of Ms Arunga for allegedly belonging to a cult", The Standard, 3 July 2012.
  31. "Give it up for Placenta Party of Kenya", K24, 6 March 2010
  32. Armbruster, Stefan. "What Now for Labor?", SBS Brisbane, 8 September 2013, Retrieved on 18 October 2013
  33. Ombati, Cyrus. "Arunga: I am now married to Timberlake", The Standard, 5 March 2010.
  34. University of Wollongong Media. "UOW Graduate recognized for role in career development activities", University of Wollongong, 17 February 2003. Retrieved on 16 October 2013
  35. Muendo, Stevens. "Season 2 of Esther Arunga saga", The Standard, 6 July 2012, p. 2.
  36. "Esther Arunga on why she quit KTN", The Standard, 20 February 2010.
  37. Banda, Kamuzu. "Anchors doing a great job", Daily Nation, 4 April 2009.
  38. "Esther Arunga on why she quit KTN", The Standard, 20 February 2010.
  39. Muchiri, John and Onyango, Maureen with Wafula, Caroline. "Arunga Sues Parents, Declares She is Married" Archived 2 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Daily Nation, 4 March 2010.
  40. Cherono, Stella. "Esther Arunga, Quincy Timberlake probed over son's death in Australia", Mobile.nation.co.ke, 26 June 2014.
  41. Chamberlin, Thomas and McKenna, Kate. "Former Kenyan presidential candidate Quincy Timberlake charged with murder of three-year-old son", The Courier-Mail, 2 September 2014.
  42. "Former Kenyan presidential candidate Quincy Timberlake charged over 3yo son's death, north of Brisbane", ABC, updated 3 September 2014.
  43. Silva, Kristian. "Quincy Timberlake tried to rid son of demons: court", Brisbane Times, 12 September 2014.
  44. Rawlins, Jason."Former Kenyan presidential candidate charged with murder thought son was possessed, court told", ABC, 12 September 2014.
  45. Otieno, Kwarula. "Finger Of God Pastor Quincy Timberlake Admitted To Mental Hospital After Assaulting Former TV Queen Esther Arunga", The Star, 19 April 2016.
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