Pokot mother of six who ‘wedded’ Holy Spirit found dead

Elizabeth Nalem, during her 'wedding to the Holy Spirit'. [Irassheel Shanzu, Standard]

The woman who got ‘married’ to the Holy Spirit is dead.

The decomposed body of Elizabeth Nalem, a mother of six from Makutano town, West Pokot County, has been found in a forest.

Police reports say Nalem had left her home a week earlier with a panga and a walking stick headed to the forest only for her decomposing and mutilated body to be found on Saturday, April 2.

Police say there is a possibility the deceased was attacked by wild animals and feasted on her remains. Kapenguria OCPD Kipkemoi Kirui said investigations have been launched to establish whether she was attacked.

Kirui said Nalem's body must have been in the bush for more than a week.

Unusual wedding

Nalem came to the limelight in May 2021 when she said ‘I do’ in a rather unusual wedding.

It was a normal Tuesday afternoon as residents of Makutano town thronged a church to witness her big day. The quiet streets suddenly lit up as dozens cheered with ululations and dance as Nalem walked down the aisle.

In an endearing white wedding gown and accompanied by friends and faithful, Elizabeth made a grand entrance to the town causing near paralysis.

She later travelled to Amudat District in Uganda for her honeymoon and to serve her God. When The Standard caught up with her, she said God spoke to her and told her to traverse the world and spread the Gospel.

The deceased said she started walking from Makutano after her wedding and was directed to visit Uganda for a crusade while on her honeymoon.

"I talked to my husband and told him to take care of my children. I am being guided by the Holy Spirit. When he tells me to go back home, I will but right now he hasn't," she said.  

Nalem said she closed her eatery, disowned her husband and won't go back to her town council officer job until she accomplishes her mission.

"God has shown (sic) me to travel to the United States when am done with Uganda. He told me to traverse the world but I told him I won't be able and requested him to recruit other members to help me in spreading the gospel," she said.

She added that her husband had pleaded with her to go back home but she had refused until her newly ‘wedded’ Spirit husband granted her permission.

"God knows how my children will eat I have left them in God’s hands,” she said.