Kate Actress joyfully celebrated her first-born son, Kamau, on his 18th birthday. Kamau is the son she had with her college sweetheart.
Kate shared an emotional message reflecting on the challenges faced by young Black men and her gratitude for her son's milestone.
“I am extremely emotional today. Happy 18th, my big baby. With everything that is happening around us—mothers losing their innocent sons to police brutality and other injustices a Black boy faces today—I just want to hold you a little closer, with so much gratitude to God for getting you to this age. We did it, my boy. Happy Birthday, my heart,” she wrote.
In an interview on the Churchill Show, Kate recalled her strict upbringing and how her mother limited her interactions with boys. She attended an all-girls boarding school and later went to college in Kampala, where she experienced newfound freedom.
“Here I am, in class with boys. Our dormitories were separated, but we mingled. It was like freedom—I could go out… within three months, I was pregnant,” Kate remembered.
She shared her struggles with understanding contraceptives and the difficulties of breaking the news to her parents. Her mother had taken a KSh 400,000 loan for her education.
“Before my mum came back, I wrote her a long letter and then disappeared to my friend’s place for a week. She was shocked and asked me to come back home. I never want to see my parents that disappointed… it was really bad,” Kate said.
Kamau’s father initially supported her but later distanced himself. To teach her a lesson, Kate’s mother made sure she experienced motherhood in the toughest way possible.
“My mum made sure I knew exactly what being a mum is… I stayed home for two years… I was the househelp, mum… doing everything,” Kate explained.