The Luhya gods who think they are Jesus Christ

Easter is here. Safari Rally no longer reigns, but before the cock crows thrice, there will be lots of prayers, goat eating and boozing as Christians celebrate this day in remembrance of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ at Calvary, his death and resurrection.

But in the land of Mulembe, as omundu strong muse over the ‘betrayal’ of Moses Wetang’ula and Musalia Mudavadi, some faithful will be worshipping one or two colourful Luhyas who believe they are Jesus Christ.

First, there was Jehovah Wanyonyi, the self-proclaimed god and leader of the Lost Israelites Ministries. From his base at Chemororoch village, Uasin Gishu County, he found time from his ‘heavenly’ duties to preside over 70 wives, a majority of whom were aged between 14 and 18 years. Jehovah Wanyonyi claimed he could cure various diseases, such as Aids, cancer and hypertension.

So ‘powerful’ was Wanyonyi that there was a time he demanded Sh3 billion from the Kenyan government, lest he punishes the country with HIV/Aids.

When he passed on in 2015, aged 98, his followers were told to fast and await his resurrection after three days. They were still waiting by the time we went to press.

And then there was Eliud Wekesa who claims God visited him while he was in slumberland and told him he was the messiah people have been waiting for to save mankind. The Class Eight dropout known as ‘Yesu wa Tongaren’ among his followers hails from Lukhokwe village, Tongaren constituency in Bungoma County.

When The Nairobian team visited his New Jerusalem Church, we found his followers dancing and going around the church seven times. Yesu wa Tongaren explained that God told him that when worshipping, they must go round the church seven times as they beat drums to appease his spirit and wash away the sins committed in Africa, Europe, Asia, South America, North America, the Arctica and Antarctica.

His female followers must wear long dresses and cover their faces so that they are not declared unclean as it was in the Jewish tradition. Earrings, necklaces and rings are against God’s commandments too. He says men are not supposed to shave their beards since it’s against the will of God. He quotes Jeremiah 9:25 which, however, says nothing of the kind.

“Women are supposed to be clean before God and have good deeds. God made them to give birth and cook for their husbands, not to put on earrings, miniskirts and skinny trousers.

“Men must put on kanzus and work hard to fill the world by giving birth to at least 12 children. I have seven children. I only have to sire five more I would have fulfilled the commandments of God,” says Yesu wa Tongaren, adding that his father (God) sent him to save mankind and that anyone who want to meet God has to pass through him.

Yesu wa Tongaren’s children are named after angels and prophets in the Bible such as Prophet Enock, General Angel Michael, Prophetess Miriam and Angel Samson among others. He has 12 disciples who during a church service sit on the left and record all the preachings which the self-proclaimed prophet says he will use to write a new bible at the time of rupture.

There is a house in front of the church in the compound, that the worshippers must pass through, remove their shoes, repent their sins and then get out of the house using the back door, before entering the church.

But his neighbour, Thomas Okila, describes Yesu wa Tongaren as a “confused man” who is hoodwinking people that he is Jesus Christ in a bid to earn a living. The cheek!

Now, if you hop aboard a boda boda and race to Nandolia Village, Kanduyi constituency in Bungoma County, you will find Nabii Yohana (V), who claims to be the reincarnated John the Baptist.

Nabii Yohana (V) is married to 39 wives (three deceased) and has 107 children. He has also written his own bible that has 93 books unlike to the Holy Bible that has 66 books. Nabii Yohana (V) whose real name is Ronald Nakalila Wanyama, was born in 1942.

Nabii is set to launch his new bible and 12 commandments on April 23 at his Muungano Church of Holy Spirit for All Nations.

“I have been busy preparing the way for the coming of the messiah. After the crucifixion of Jesus Christ the way I prophesied while in the wilderness, that he will come to save mankind, I will launch the new bible,” Nabii Yohana (V) said.

Some of the books in his bible include Mfarisayo Wilson, Agnes, Mfarisayo Geoffrey, Benson (II), Peter Petro and Mfarisayo Peter.

During electioneering periods, politicians throng his church seeking prophesy whether they will win or lose.

If they are weak candidates, Nabii Yohana (V) told The Nairobian, he takes them to his shrine at night at Lwakhakha on the border of Kenya and Uganda for prayers. He says they must come with gifts for the prophesies.

The controversial self-proclaimed prophet made headlines when he said he wants to meet President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto to help him print his new currency known as Mzawadi to replace the Kenya shilling.

He says the Kenyan shilling is the source all ills like corruption, robbery with violence, political assassinations and the spread of HIV /Aids. He wants the shilling abolished to enable Kenya’s economy to grow by double digits.

The 77-year-old ‘prophet’ claims that he has the power to resurrect the dead by stepping on their backs five times.

“I am the way, the truth and the last prophet sent by God to save mankind from corruption, homosexuality and bad governance. When Jesus Chris was crucified, he gave me the power to raise the dead,” he claims.

And who can ever forget Mary Sinaida Akatsa, the prophetess from Ebusiralo village, Luanda constituency in Vihiga County? Her father was called jogoo by his peers since he loved moving up and down Luanda town with women of all kind.

The prophetess made headlines on June 11, 1988 when she claimed that she was going to bring Jesus Christ to her church in Kawangware.

Akatsa who is the founder of the Jerusalem Church of Christ prophesied that the messiah would drop by her church.

On the fateful day, residents of Kawangware who had woken up to the unexpected return of messiah, thronged her church while repenting their sins, only for a tall, bearded, barefoot man dressed in white robes, his head covered in a kilemba, to emerge accompanied by the self-proclaimed prophetess.

Akatsa is known to whip her followers. David Omoro, a church member based in Nairobi, says that when they travel upcountry to bury one of their members, they spend the night in town as they are not allowed to go to their houses or hotels or sleep with their spouses.

“We don’t carry any foodstuff or eat on that day because the prophetess says that is inviting curses to our families,” Omoro said, adding that those who break the rule are whipped thoroughly by the prophetess.

Mama Merab Atieno, a businesswoman in Luanda, told The Nairobian that they normally sleep on the pavement of her shop. She recalls that a month ago, one of the church elders died and his body was taken to Dolphil Nursing Home mortuary in Rabuor, which is about 10 kilometres from Luanda.

“The body was then to be buried about seven kilometres from Luanda town. In total, they trekked for 17 kilometres while Akatsa rode in her Prado waving to the crowd and whipping those who were not dancing,” she said.