Behind the whole drama of at the Shakahola Forest in Kilifi county is one man who many have been seeing as hope.
He is Ezekiel Ambok Odero.
He was born on March 23, 1978 in Rusinga Island, Homabay County to a poor background and was raised by his mother and grandfather Daniel Odero.
Ezekiel Odero started his education at the Ngodhe Island Primary School in Rusinga before he relocated with his grandfather to Seme in Kusumu County and enrolled at Yeye Primary School and thereafter, Miwani High School in Chemelil, Kisumu.
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After high school, Ezekiel relocated to Mombasa and joined the Mombasa Polytechnic (now the Technical University of Mombasa), to pursue a diploma course in Chemical Processing Technology.
But he dropped out of the college in his second year due to financial difficulties.
After dropping out of college, Ezekiel began doing menial jobs in construction and around year 2000, he joined Bishop Pius Muiru’s Maximum Miracle Church as a choir teacher and thereafter praise and worship teacher.
His encounter with Muiru came to shape his life significantly and could have inspired him to establish his church while maintaining close relationship with Muiru.
Marriage
Ezekiel is married to Sara Wanzu for now ten years and they have three children, two biological kids and one adopted.
In 2010, the couple established New Life Church in Shanzu, Mombasa County.
In the subsequent years, the church grew significantly and in March, 2022, following repeated threats of terror attacks by al-Shabaab, they relocated the church from Shanzu to Mavueni in Kilifi County on a 65-acre piece of land.
The 65-acre land has a church of 40,000 congregants, a four-storey staff quarters, News International School for primary and secondary students, a restaurant, petrol station and a Sh5,500 a day cottages for church guests.
Currently, the leadership is planning to build a university, a student’s rehabilitation center, a shopping mall and an airstrip.
The church
The church operated for about two years without formal registration, but was finally registered in September 2012.
It is current physical location is Mitangoni, Kilifi County.
The following is the church’s registered officials;
- Chairman – Ezekiel Ombok Odero
- Secretary – Sarah Wanzu
- Treasurer – Justin Maranga
- Administrator – Samuel Dungah
Teachings
The church led by Ezekiel preaches and promotes a set of beliefs that fail to adhere with the widely held Christian doctrines and teachings, according to those who have attended it.
In his teachings, Ezekiel discourages his adherents from seeking modern medicine and rather rely on miraculous healing from serious conditions like HIV/AIDS, cancer and other lifestyle diseases as well deliverance from ‘generational demonic attacks.’
While this kind of believes are not unique to Ezekiel’s teachings, it is notable that he has exploited the narrative to build a mystical entity around himself that attracts multitude of worshipers to his church in pursuit of healing and ‘deliverance.’
At the core of his ministry, Ezekiel runs an evangelical commercial enterprise where he exploits his adherents’ gullible pursuit of his divine intervention to sell to them a litany of merchandise like holy water and anointing oil.
Additionally, he deceptively presents his prayers as an alternative to modern medicine by promising miracle healing in exchange of offerings.
As such, about 47 cases of deaths were reported at Chasimba Police station alleged to have occurred within the church premises.
The deceased relatives are usually advised to take the deceased to Kilifi County Hospital Morgue.
Widespread
Ezekiel’s teachings have received widespread acceptance as witnessed by the huge multitudes of worshipers from different parts of the country as well as from Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Sweden, the United State and other of Europe continue to troop into his church.
The church’s services run daily with exception to Mondays and receives an average of 1,000 visitors during the week and about 30,000 during weekends.
On selected Saturdays, there is Holy Communion, which attracts a multitude of worshipers.
Ezekiel also owns World Evangelism TV and New Life TV, all registered under New Life Communications Ltd. and runs a YouTube Channel. Notably, he owns New Life Communications Ltd.
Links to Paul Nthenge Mackenzie of Good News International
In 2020, Ezekiel entered into a sale agreement with cultic preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie to buy the latter’s television licence, Times Television Channel for Sh3 Million.
Thereafter, Ezekiel paid Sh500,000 and began operating the channel.
However, Ezekiel failed to clear the balance and as such the channel is still owned by Mackenzie.
Both men are in custody over deaths in their premises.
Ezekiel was arrested on Thursday from his Mavueni premises and is expected in court Friday April 28, 2023.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on Thursday said Ezekiel will face criminal charges related to mass killing of his followers.
He was arrested on Thursday morning over suspected deaths at his church as police widen an investigation over allegations of the deaths that have been occurring at his premises.
Kindiki notified the public of the pastor’s arrest saying; “It is notified for information of the general public that today Thursday, 27th April 2023, Mr Ezekiel Ombok Odero the Head of New Life Prayer Centre/Church at Mavueni within Malindi Sub-County of Kilifi County has been arrested and is being processed to face criminal charges related to mass killing of his followers.”
“The said Church has been shut down. The over 100 people who were holed up at the premises have been evacuated and will be required to record statements.”
So far 109 bodies have been recovered from Shakahola forest as exhumation continues.
Dozens more bodies are buried in shallow graves therein.
Some 34 people have been rescued from starvation.
Mackenzie, who is in police custody, is being investigated for influencing his followers to starve to death in order to meet their maker. Police also suspect that some of the victims did not starve to death and may have been killed and then buried on the property.
He has denied wrongdoing but has been refused bail. He insists that he shut down his church in 2019.
The followers say he told them to starve themselves in order to “meet Jesus”.