Kenyan police have arrested Pastor Ezekiel Odero, a popular televangelist, and closed down his church in Kilifi County on the country’s Indian Ocean coast following reports of mass deaths.
The move comes as investigations continue into a religious cult that has been linked to the deaths of almost 100 people.
According to reports, the police had inspected a funeral home near Pastor Ezekiel’s church, where they found morgue attendants collecting bodies from the New Life International Church premises. Although the police have not formally connected the two cases, Pastor Ezekiel was held just hours after the discovery.
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“This morning we have arrested Pastor Ezekiel Odero on allegations of the deaths that have been occurring at his premises,” Coast regional commissioner Rhoda Onyancha told reporters.
Pastor Ezekiel is a well-known figure in Kenya, famous for drawing huge crowds to his functions. The closure of his church and his arrest have shocked many of his followers, who are now calling for his release.
The police have not released any details about the cause of the mass deaths, but local media reports suggest that they may be related to a religious cult that has been operating in the area.
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The cult is said to have been recruiting young people and offering them jobs in exchange for joining the group.
In addition, the police are conducting an investigation into Pastor Ezekiel Odero’s alleged connection to the contentious preacher Paul Mackenzie Nthenge. Nthenge reportedly advised his followers to fast to the point of starvation to “meet Jesus”.
In light of the arrest of their senior pastor, Sarah Odero, the wife of the preacher, urged the congregants at their church to remain prayerful. During her address at the church, Sarah revealed what had occurred and announced that they would not hold any services for the next few days to facilitate the investigations.
“I am here to inform you briefly about what is happening. There are investigations that the government is conducting. Nothing is wrong, but we will not have our services for the next few days. I know you have heard many things on social media and TV, and this is happening to New Life and other churches, too. Only prayers can help us now as we let the government do its investigations. There is nothing hard before God. He who has faith will have God as their defender,” she said.
The authorities have urged members of the public to come forward with any information they may have about the cult or the mass deaths.
They have also warned people not to join any religious groups without thoroughly investigating them first.
The arrest of Pastor Ezekiel and the closure of his church are the latest in a series of crackdowns on religious cults in Kenya.
The government has been stepping up efforts to regulate the activities of religious groups, particularly those that are suspected of engaging in illegal activities.
President William Ruto pledged earlier this week to crack down on religious leaders who violated the law.
As investigations into the mass deaths continue, many Kenyans are calling for greater regulation of religious groups in the country. They say that the government needs to do more to protect vulnerable young people from being exploited by unscrupulous cults.
