Busia's 'Mary and Joseph' draw in pilgrims from entire continent

Judith Nafula, popularly known as "Mama Mary," leads a prayer session outside her home in Matayos.[Mary Imenza/Standard] In Nangoma village, Matayos sub-county, Busia County, a 50-year-old woman has stirred another countrywide debate after proclaiming herself the reincarnation of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. Judith Nafula, a mother of five, says she received a divine revelation in the form of a dazzling light and a heavenly voice declaring her the modern-day Virgin Mary. Her husband, John Wekulo, she insists, is Joseph, and has chosen to walk with her in what they call a "spiritual restoration of the Holy Family." "I was in prayer when a brilliant light filled the room, and a voice told me I was Mary. From that moment, my life changed. My husband, too, was revealed to be Joseph. We were given strict divine instructions," she said. Following the calling, she claims, the "Holy Spirit" directed her to vacate the couple's bedroom and move into the sitting room, which she now refers to as her sanctuary. "Since that day, my wife and I moved out of our bedroom and began living in the sitting room, as per divine instruction," said Wekulo. The pair were reportedly instructed to fast for two months and to abstain from Holy Communion for five years. "I even received a special garment from God. I wear it every day. Strange things kept happening to me after the calling," she told us, draped in a white robe with a golden sash. "After my calling, strange things kept on happening to me. I was instructed to fast for two months, after which God gave me a special cloth which I wear to date," she narrated. According to her, what started as a spiritual awakening has now turned into a full-blown pilgrimage site. Locals call it the "Bethlehem of Busia." Every day, pilgrims stream in from Kenya and neighbouring countries, including Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and even the Democratic Republic of Congo. They come seeking healing, miracles, or simply to catch a glimpse of "Mama Maria." The homestead, once an ordinary village home, now pulses with the sounds of hymns, ululations, and prayer. Some visitors claim to have been healed. Others, moved by faith or curiosity, watch in awe as people collapse in trances and rise, declaring miracles. Nafula's sister-in-law, Everlyne Ouma, said there was a couple that had been trying to conceive for years, but when they came here, prayed with Mama Maria, and months later, they had a baby. "We believe it is God working through her. But not everyone is buying it. There was a couple that had struggled for years without a child. After praying with Mama Maria, the woman conceived and later gave birth. We believe it was God working through her," said Everlyne. Nafula was once a devout member of the Lwanya Catholic Parish. However, church leadership excommunicated her after she repeatedly claimed to possess supernatural gifts and held public prayer sessions that clashed with the church's teachings. Still, her growing following hasn't waned. Her services, part spiritual crusade, part dramatic village spectacle, continue to draw attention and controversy in equal measure. "I thought it was just a village joke," said Agnes Nanjala, a curious local who attended one of the gatherings. "But when I got there, it was like a holy soap opera. One minute, people are singing 'Ave Maria', the next, they are on the ground saying demons have left them. It is wild!" While religious leaders in the region have yet to comment officially, community elders remain sharply divided. Some have begun referring to her as a prophetess; others call her a distraction. Regardless of public opinion, Nafula, now known simply as Mama Mary, said she will continue to preach, pray, and attract throngs of followers. Her growing fame comes at a time when the national government is working to introduce new laws aimed at regulating churches and religious movements in Kenya. This is a move seen by many as long overdue in a country where rogue preachers and miracle claims have at times spiralled out of control.

Busia's 'Mary and Joseph' draw in pilgrims from entire continent

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