Kanyari: I was once more famous than Raila Odinga
By Steve Ireri, June 7, 2026Salvation Healing Ministry founder Pastor Victor Kanyari has claimed that at the height of his controversy, he was more famous than late former prime minister Raila Odinga, saying his name frequently dominated headlines in mainstream media.
Speaking on Sunday, June 7, 2026, Kanyari reflected on what he described as a period of intense public scrutiny, recalling that newspapers often carried stories about him on front pages due to allegations surrounding his ministry.
He said his name became widely recognised across the country during that time, with back-to-back media coverage focusing on claims linking him to questionable religious practices.
“I remember there is a time I was more famous than Raila Odinga. I remember in the newspapers you would find that on the front page was me, and on the second page there was also a story about me,” he said.
“My name was everywhere.”
Kanyari said he vividly remembers a time when his popularity and notoriety were so high that his stories appeared in leading newspapers almost daily.
He claimed that in some editions, his story would appear on the front page, while another related story about him would still feature on the following pages, underscoring the level of attention he was receiving.
According to him, much of the coverage at the time labelled him as a con preacher, a tag that he says shaped public perception of his ministry.
“The stories were about me being a con preacher and such,” he added.
The preacher, however, maintained that the accusations levelled against him were exaggerated, insisting that he was never involved in defrauding people of large sums of money or property.
He said that while there were claims of misconduct, the amounts mentioned in most cases were relatively small, adding that he never engaged in schemes involving land or major assets.
Kanyari contrasted his situation with what he termed as serious conmen, saying some individuals in similar scandals had been accused of swindling people of parcels of land and valuable property.
“Not that I used to con people out of a lot of money; it was just Ksh300 or Ksh500. There are bad con preachers who swindle people of parcels of land and properties. I never did that,” he added.
He explained that he viewed the fame and attention differently, insisting that it did not ruin his reputation permanently.
Kanyari explained that his current success is evidence of perseverance, saying he now leads a large church with a strong following and a growing number of congregants.
“I did not look at that fame as something that ruined my reputation. And that is why today I have a big church, many congregants, and a big following. Because my heart did not break,” he said.