Angela Chibalonza
 | The topic of this article may not meet Wikitia's general notability guideline. |
Angela Chibalonza Muliri | |
|---|---|
| Add a Photo | |
| Born | Angela Chibalonza Runiga November 26, 1976 Bukavu, Congo |
| Died | September 23, 2007 (aged 30) |
| Cause of death | Road accident |
| Spouse(s) | Elisha Muliri (m. 2003) |
| Children | Wonder Muliri |
Angela Chibalonza Muliri (birth name Angela Chibalonza Runiga) was a Kenyan-Congolese Gospel Artist. She was born in Bukavu, Congo in a family of 11. She was the second born in the family which consisted of 6 girls and 5 boys. One of her sisters being the late Tete Runiga, who also went ahead to become a musician.
Her father was a policeman in the government of Mobutu Seseseko as President of Congo. The police force was underpaid therefore the family lived in abject poverty where they shared a one bedroom house. The parents used to sleep in the bedroom as the children slept in the sitting room without mattresses. They survived sleeping on rags and wearing used clothes.
Music Career
From the time she was 8 years old, she used to sing in the Roman Catholic Church in the choir. In addition to singing, she was also a dancer, often (with other children) accompanying the Padre with graceful movements as he processed through the church aisle toward the altar. This early exposure to music and performance played a key role in nurturing her talent and devotion to gospel artistry. This is something she loved deeply and she described it as a "feeling as if you are going to heaven"
When she was 14 years old, her cousin invited her to go to the Assemblies of God church. At first she was adamant about it, the cousin was unrelenting and finally Angela gave in. She was shocked by the way the Assemblies of God church conducted their service. During the preaching session, Angela was deeply convicted by the sermon and decided to get born again and become a Pentecostal Christian.
After this she started singing in the praise and worship team. Her gift kept growing and she became a skilled singer and composer.
She reported to have received a vision from God in which she was informed to move to Kenya so as to be a blessing not just to the people of Kenya but to the whole world. She moved to Kenya in 1997.
Upon getting to Kenya, she quickly learned Swahili; the national language of Kenya. Then Chibalonza released her maiden album, Nikuabudu (To worship you) in the same year. She followed it up with Jina la Yesu (The Name of Jesus) the following year, in 1998. Come 1999, she released Mwisho wa Dunia (End of the World) and then Ninapotembea (As I Walk).
She quickly became a household name in Kenya and beyond. Her deep spiritual message, powerful voice and captivating stage presence were central to her success. Many of her songs have become household anthems and are still widely used in church services across the region today. In 2004 she was nominated for a Kora All African Music Award in the category of best female gospel artist.
Part of Angela Chibalonza's widespread appeal lay in her linguistic versatility. She was able to sing fluently in several languages, including Kiswahili, Lingala, Buganda, and French. This multilingual ability enabled her to connect with diverse audiences across East and Central Africa. However, Kiswahili and Lingala remained the dominant languages in her music, reflecting her Congolese roots and her deep connection with both Kenyan and Congolese gospel listeners.
Personal Life
In 2003, Chibalonza married Apostle Elisha Muliri, the founder of Shekinah International Ministries and adopted the name Angela Chibalonza Muliri. Together, they had one daughter namely Glory Wonder Chibalonza Muliri.
Death
She died in on 23rd September 2007 while from a concert in Egerton University. Chibalonza was travelling with two other people when their car was involved in a grisly accident in which only one person survived.
Her passing came just days before launching her latest album, "Nimekutana na Yesu" (I Have Met Jesus) under the banner Furaha ya Kipawa (Joy of Talent) One of her sisters the Late Tete Runiga, followed in her footsteps and became a singer too before her own death in 2016.
She was survived by her daughter who was only nine months old at the time of her mother's death. Additionally, she was survived by her husband who since relocated from Kenya and remarried.
Angela Chibalonza remains an important figure in the gospel music arena inspiring people across generations. She has inspired many gospel musicians including Eunice Njeri, Florence Andenyi and Gloria Muliro.
Discography
Albums
- Nakuabudu (1997)
- Jina La Yesu (1998)
- Mwisho wa Dunia (1999)
- Ninapotembea (2000)
- Usifiwe Bwana (2001)
- Yahwe Uhimidiwe (2003)
- Nzambe Papa (2006)
- Sasa Narudi (early 2000s, date disputed)
- Nimekutana na Yesu (2010- released posthumously)
Notable Songs
- Jina la Yesu
- Yahweh Uhimidiwe
- Ebenezer
- Kaa Nami
- Uliniumba Nikuabudu
- Ameniona
- Inanibidi Niseme
- Tabibu
- Toka Chini
- Jubilee
References
External links
This article "Angela Chibalonza" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.