A major religious gathering in Nakuru last December has returned to the national spotlight after a damning investigation by TV47 Exposé, which raises serious doubts about miracle healing claims associated with self-proclaimed prophet Dr David Owuor.
The multi-day crusade, organised by the Ministry of Repentance and Holiness Church, drew tens of thousands of worshippers, bringing parts of Nakuru City to a standstill. At the height of the event, Dr Owuor declared that numerous attendees had been miraculously cured of chronic and life-threatening conditions, including HIV, cancer, blindness, and deafness.
The ministry further claimed that some of these healings had been medically verified by doctors present, assertions that sparked public debate and drew scrutiny from government regulators.
TV47 launched an independent inquiry to assess whether these claims could withstand medical and documentary verification. The investigation led reporters to Laikipia County, particularly Nanyuki, where several testimonies linked to the ministry have previously originated.
One high-profile case involved a man identified as Peter Oyan, who claimed he had been cured of HIV following prayers at one of Owuor’s Nakuru revival meetings. Oyan said he was diagnosed HIV-positive in 2012 at Rumuruti District Hospital and had been on treatment until 2013, when he attended the crusade. According to him, subsequent tests, including DNA PCR analyses, confirmed that he was HIV-negative.
However, independent verification by TV47 told a different story. Officials at Rumuruti District Hospital said Oyan had no record of an HIV diagnosis or treatment at their facility. Patient identifiers on documents he provided corresponded to other individuals, including a woman from the same region. At other health facilities, claims that he had tested HIV-negative were dismissed as fraudulent, with Karen Hospital in Nairobi confirming that his name did not exist in their records.
Medical experts consulted by TV47 stressed that HIV is a complex viral infection that requires lifelong, scientifically proven antiretroviral therapy. “There is no credible evidence to show that Oyan was ever HIV-positive, let alone cured,” one expert said.
Another case involved 27-year-old Rebecca Mose, who claimed to have been healed remotely after her mother sent a text to the prophet in December 2024. She later changed her account, saying the healing came via an email from her pastor. She also claimed her HIV patient file had been closed by the National AIDS and STIs Control Programme (NASCOP), a claim officials refuted, explaining that patient files are never closed and those who test positive are advised to begin lifelong treatment.
Despite contradictions, some testimonies were publicly endorsed by Kenyan medical professionals during the Nakuru crusade, drawing viral attention on social media under the hashtag #ScienceBows.
The investigation also highlighted tragic consequences linked to unverified healing claims. A woman from Laikipia County, identified only as Mary, told TV47 that she abandoned medical treatment for her daughter after repeated declarations of miraculous healing, only for her daughter’s condition to worsen and ultimately result in death.
The revelations prompted responses from Kenya’s medical and regulatory community. On January 3, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) warned against claims of curing chronic illnesses without verified evidence. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale cautioned that faith-based messaging should never undermine established medical care.
Prophet Owuor, for his part, rejected the criticism, insisting that the healings are medically verified and that his processes exceed government standards. The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) urged caution among believers but was publicly dismissed by Owuor.
TV47’s investigation also revisited past controversies, including the 2017 claim that Owuor resurrected a woman known as Mama Rosa, who died in 2019, and allegations from former insiders and whistleblowers.
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