Wailing warriors: How women in Pentecostal churches claim power

Women praying in church. [Courtesy]

As a scholar and researcher of Pentecostalism, I attended a monthly church gathering, known as Daughters of Zion, in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi where women around me were praying loudly and with passion. Usually there are no men present in the gathering, except for the tech team and guest speakers who open a separate discourse.

The gathering's programme follows an urban Pentecostal rhythm that features prayerful worship, testimonies and sermons, and ends with rounds of prayers.