Daddy Owen opens up on why accepting death is easier than divorce
By Valerian Khakayi, September 12, 2025Gospel singer Owen Mwatia, widely known as Daddy Owen, has opened up about the emotional struggles that come with divorce, comparing it to the pain of death.
Speaking during a candid conversation on the Joyride podcast, Daddy Owen said that psychologists often argue that accepting the death of a loved one is easier than dealing with divorce.
He explained that death offers closure, leading to acceptance, compared to a divorce, which presents a unique kind of pain, especially when children are involved, unlike death, where separation is final.
The award-winning singer further noted that divorce forces people to interact with their former partners for the sake of their children
“Psychologists say it is easier to accept death than divorce, because when someone dies, it is a conclusion you know you will never see them again, it is like a closure, but with divorce,” Daddy Owen explained.
“If you have kids, this person is in your life because they have to see the kids, and it is forever you do not have an excuse for that, and if you still have feelings for them, you still have to see them, and if you still feel bitter, you will still see them.”
He pointed out that children often struggle to understand divorce, which makes the situation harder for parents who must protect and comfort them while dealing with their own pain.
“With death, you will cry and accept they have gone, but with divorce, it’s like a pain that each and every day you interact because you have kids,” he noted.
“One of the hardest things is kids, when the divorce that you do not have kids, it is easier, but when you have kids; the kids do not understand what is happening and you have to pretend to protect them.”
The musician stressed that divorce also creates immediate uncertainty about the future. Unlike death, which leads to closure, divorce forces people to start thinking about what comes next in their lives right away.
According to Daddy Owen, death brings closure, while divorce feels like a recurring wound.
“Divorce makes you start thinking at that exact moment about what you should do next. Death is a closure, and divorce is like a recurring wound,” he added.
His experience
Daddy Owen, who has gone through a divorce, disclosed that it was one of the hardest experiences, advising celebrity couples to always shield their partners during media interviews whenever they separate.
“For me, it was hard because kila mtu anataka interview and in those interviews I had to be keen with what I say because these things will pop up in future,” he disclosed.
Daddy on men’s divorce
The veteran singer went on to explain that for men, life often feels like a series of milestones, but divorce disrupts that progress and leaves them uncertain about their next move.
He added that being with a wife creates a sense of oneness, and after divorce, it can feel as though something that belonged to them no longer exists.
“When it comes to divorce, for us men, everything is like a milestone, and when we are doing stuff, we always feel like we are done with it, and we are looking forward to something else. Divorce is like something that comes and takes you back to a place where you do not know what your next move is,” he explained.
“When you are with your wife, you feel like you are one, and after divorce, sometimes you feel like something that belongs to you does not exist.”