The brother of the late gospel singer Betty Bayo has stepped forward with explosive claims against her husband, Tash, accusing him of scheming to seize control of her hard-earned property, including logbooks for vehicles, the family home, and other valuable assets, in what family members describe as a brazen inheritance grab.
In an emotional TikTok interview with content creator Mbanya that has since garnered over two million views, the sibling painted a grim picture of Tash’s alleged neglect during Betty’s lifetime, insisting the family now views him with deep suspicion around their young daughter Sky.
Speaking from what appeared to be the family compound in Kitengela, Betty’s brother detailed how Tash contributed little to the household despite Betty’s rising stardom.
“He never supported her in any meaningful way. Never paid rent, never helped with the children’s needs, and all the work at home was on Betty while he contributed nothing. Kazi ilikuwa tu kukula na kukula,” he said, his voice cracking as he recounted the singer’s solo struggles to keep the roof over their heads.
The brother revealed that before Betty’s health took a sharp turn last year, she was drowning in three months of rent arrears and couldn’t even afford basic WiFi, forcing her to borrow data from neighbours just to post her uplifting gospel tracks online.
The interview, which dropped late Tuesday night, has ignited a firestorm on Kenyan social media. Fans of the late 35-year-old, known for hits like “Ninakuabudu” that blended heartfelt lyrics with soaring vocals, have flooded comment sections with messages of solidarity, many vowing to support the family’s push to safeguard her legacy.
Betty, who passed away in November 2025 after a battle with leukaemia, also called blood cancer, left behind a modest but cherished estate built from years of church performances, album sales, and brand endorsements.
Adding layers to the controversy, Betty’s uncle joined the conversation in a follow-up clip, expressing grave concerns about Tash’s future plans.
“Tash is preparing to marry another woman, and the new wife may not care for the children. Anaogopa watoto wetu wateswe na mama wa kambo in the hands of Baba wa kambo,” the elder stated, invoking the Swahili proverb to highlight fears of step-parent mistreatment.
He emphasised that the family has barred Tash from unsupervised access to three-year-old Sky, citing paranoia over potential dangers, from everyday accidents to something as sinister as tampering with high-voltage electricity lines around the home.
Legal experts following the story suggest the family’s worries are not unfounded in Kenya’s often contentious inheritance laws, where spouses can claim significant shares under the Law of Succession Act unless a will specifies otherwise.
Betty’s brother confirmed they are consulting advocates to file for administration of her estate, aiming to ring-fence assets like the Toyota Harrier logbook and a rental apartment in Nairobi’s Eastlands that generated steady income for the kids’ education. “We won’t let greed erase what she built for her blood,” he affirmed, urging courts to prioritise the children’s welfare.
Tash, a former businessman who met Betty during her early music days, has remained silent amid the backlash, neither confirming nor denying the claims in his sparse social media updates.
Close friends of the couple, speaking off the record, describe him as reclusive since the funeral, focusing on odd jobs while the family handles childcare. However, whispers in the gospel circles suggest that he has attended engagement events, which has fuelled the uncle’s marriage rumours.
As the Bayo family braces for what could be a protracted court battle, this saga shows the vulnerabilities artists face in blending fame with family life. Betty’s music, once a beacon of hope for broken homes, now echoes in a real-life drama that tests the bonds of love, loss, and legacy.
