Makenzi and his followers made clear their stand against conventional education

Controversial pastor Paul Makenzi at Tononoka Children's Court in Mombasa, on December 2, 2024. [File, Standard] Pastor Paul Makenzi and his followers declared education was evil and were against it. Conversations from his mobile phone, which are now before the court, indicate that the pastor linked formal education to the love of worldly things, while some of his followers narrated about bizarre dreams linked to education. "Niliwaambia kitambo education is evil wao wakasema chukueni Makenzi mueke gerezani. Hivi leo ndio hao wanalilia watoto wao mashuleni ( I told them a long time ago that education is evil and they said take Makenzie to prison. Today they are crying about their children in schools," one of his WhatsApp messages reads. A follower claimed that there is a child who has a demonic problem. The follower added that a snake seemed to rise from the minor's right thigh, the minor's blood stops and starts moving aimlessly whenever he hears it is a school day. the minor is okay on weekends, the follower says. The follower asked whether the child should be prayed for to go back to school despite him being against education. Makenzie responded: "Aache shule, short and clear." Another 'dreamer' claimed that he found himself in an unfamiliar place, then saw former President Uhuru Kenyatta announce that former USA President Barack Obama would be in Kenya to roll out his ObamaCare programme, after which microchips would be used in hospitals, houses and schools. "I saw two teachers who were opposed to microchips and I told them that education is not Jesus' plan but you rejected my message. I then saw my father wearing a black long court and looked like a huge giant and he was going to tell his house they need to follow his way..." the follower, a David from Kitui, narrated. In yet another conversation, an Esther from Nanyuki claimed that going to school made people unable to read the word of Christ spiritually. "Kweli masomo yalikuwa uyajue tu ya dunia ( education was just meant for world's knowledge)," she claimed. On May 25, 2020, Esther said that she wrote in another group that education is evil, but some responded that the devil had gotten into her. She alleged that others claimed that those who have 'raptured' had said there were schools in heaven. " I told them to wait and see," said Esther. In his reply, Makenzi said the formal education system was intended to instil a desire or thirst for worldly things. Another follower claimed that he left school in 2016 because he did not register for the Huduma Namba, a digital identification card introduced by former President Uhuru Kenyatta's government. He said he was shocked by Makenzie's teaching on National Education Management Information System (NEMIS). He stated that if the school's digital identification was started in 2016, then he would have been nabbed in the 'wrong.' He said that his soul still yearned Jesus's salvation. He further asked the pastor what to do to inherit 'the kingdom.' Makenzie responded that a prayer to Jesus would answer. In the same mobile phone conversations, there were those who were bashing the pastor for the controversial teachings on education. Some words used in the text messages are so unrestrained that they cannot be published or aired. On the other hand, some followers asked if education was a form of devil worship, while others were asking if they should reject their parents' demands to enrol for university education. Another one claimed he had a dream of a crowd complaining that they lacked school fees. "From nowhere nikawaambia education is evil", he claimed adding that a drunk approached him in the dream and said he had dug a grave but did not want to be left with 'gland things'. The follower said he asked the drunk man to give his life to Jesus and he had 24 hours to leave the grave. In another WhatsApp text, the pastor posted musician Ringtone's response to an article that suggested that in Kenya, the most educated musicians were Nameless, Wahu, Ndovu Kuu, Nadia Mukami and Kamene Goro. In the article, Ringtone was quoted saying education is not everything, as there were celebrities who were learned but were struggling with life. One person, marked as a Kirui, asked Makenzie whether he was sure that education is a sin. Makenzie responded that, according to the Bible, it is. A George from Migori asked the pastor to assist with the teachings about education being ' the devil' to teach others. Another asked for the precise Bible verses that were against education. Makenzie referred him to Colossians 2:8-20, 1 Timothy 6:20-21, Ecclesiastes 12:12 and James 3:13-18. One follower asked the pastor whether it was an irony that he was able to read the Bible, yet he claimed that studying is a sin. Makenzie responded that if he did not know where his teachings about education started, then he would have first gone to the start instead of criticizing what he did not know about. Another follower claimed that education in Kenya was in 'he dustbins.'

Makenzi and his followers made clear their stand against conventional education

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Makenzi and his followers made clear their stand against conventional education

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