5 most shocking religious scandals that rocked Kenya

Kenya’s religious landscape is deeply influential, where faith plays a central role in the daily lives of a majority of the population.

However, over the years, the country has witnessed several shocking religious scandals that have tarnished the reputation of various church leaders and institutions. 

Below are some of the most devastating religious scandals that have rocked Kenya, exposing the dark side of organised religion in the country.

1. The Shakahola massacre

One of the darkest religious scandals in the country’s history is the Shakahola tragedy, which exposed the horrifying extent of religious extremism.

 In 2023, police uncovered mass graves of more than 450 people in Shakahola Forest, Kilifi County, linked to the Good News International Church led by Pastor Paul Mackenzie Nthenge.

Mackenzie  preached to his followers that they should fast to death in order to “meet Jesus.” 

As the investigation unfolded, authorities exhumed hundreds of bodies, including those of children, making it one of the deadliest cult incidents in modern times.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) lined up four more witnesses on Tuesday, September 16, to reveal harrowing details of alleged abuses carried out by controversial p Mackenzie and 35 co-accused individuals.

According to the prosecution, Mackenzie and the other suspects are facing grave charges, including child cruelty, torture, and denial of education, in connection with the Shakahola massacre.

 The tragedy prompted the government to begin drafting new laws to regulate religious organisations and prevent the exploitation of vulnerable believers. 

 President William Ruto constituted the Taskforce on the Review of the Legal and Regulatory Framework Governing Religious Organisations in Kenya on May 5, 2023, in response to the Shakahola Tragedy, seeking to address the emergence of extremist religious organisations and similar groups that have inflicted harm on the people.

2. Pastor Victor Kanyari’s ‘Panda Mbegu’ miracle scandal

In November 2014,  a jaw-dropping television exposé by KTN’s Inside Story revealed the controversial practices of Pastor Victor Kanyari, alias Bishop Mwangi, of Salvation Healing Ministry.

The broadcast captured fake miracles and testimonies, exposing how the preacher instructed congregants to pose as healed believers after making donations.

Kanyari, son of the late preacher Lucy Nduta, became infamous for urging followers to “panda mbegu ya Ksh310” for blessings. The scandal drew outrage nationwide, raising questions about the commercialisation of religion.

However, in January 2024, Kanyari confessed that the ‘mbegu ya 310’ call to his followers was not meant for the said miracles, but he was looking for a means to get out of poverty. 

“Mimi ndio nilikuwa mhubiri anaongea Nairobi, hakukua na mwingine. Kina Ezekiel na Ng’ang’a hawakuwa, mimi ndio nilikuwa naongea hii town. Lakini sikuwa na pesa, ndio maana nikaanza kuitisha (Ksh)310. Nikasema panda mbegu ya 310 na tusibishanebishane. Si kutaka kwangu, umaskini ulikuwa umenitandika sawasawa,” Kanyari confessed. 

3. Pastor James Ng’ang’a’s accident and legal drama

Known for his fiery sermons and unpredictable outbursts, Pastor James Ng’ang’a of Neno Evangelism Centre is no stranger to controversy. 

In 2015, he was accused of causing a fatal road accident in Limuru while driving a high-end vehicle. 

The case drew national attention, especially after it was claimed that police attempted to cover up his involvement.

Ng’ang’a was later acquitted.  Beyond the courtroom, he has frequently been criticised for his confrontational preaching style, verbal attacks on journalists, and public feuds with politicians.  With his recent confession to gang raping a woman in church, which has stirred heated debate among netizens.

However, the pastor was convicted of the crime and served a jail term before getting saved.

4. The ‘Finger of God’ church and Esther Arunga saga

In the late 2000s, Pastor Joseph Hellon and the Finger of God Church became the centre of a bizarre religious scandal involving TV news anchor Esther Arunga and her husband, Quincy Timberlake. The group was accused of operating like a cult, with claims of mind control, deception, and manipulation.

Hellon and his followers denied any wrongdoing, claiming their ministry was legitimate and focused on spiritual freedom. 

However, the controversy escalated when Arunga’s personal life spiralled into tragedy abroad, leading to renewed scrutiny of the church’s influence.

 In June 2023, Esther Arunga Timberlake was handed a 10-month jail term after being convicted of the murder of her son, but was immediately freed on parole.

Arunga was sentenced Thursday morning after pleading guilty to being an accessory to murder. Arunga said she gave the Australian police misleading information into the circumstances that led to her three-year-old son’s death in 2014.

5. Gilbert Deya’s ‘miracle babies’ scandal

Additionally, the “miracle babies” saga involving the late Archbishop Gilbert Deya, founder of the Gilbert Deya Ministries, was one of the biggest religious scandals to ever hit the country.

In the early 2000s, Deya, who ran a large following both in Kenya and the UK, claimed he could help infertile women conceive through “miracle prayers.” 

However, investigations later revealed that the so-called “miracle babies” were actually stolen infants.

In 2004, Deya was accused of running a child trafficking ring. His wife, Mary Deya, was convicted in Kenya after being found in possession of several abducted children, while Gilbert Deya fled to the United Kingdom, claiming persecution. He was extradited back to Kenya in 2017 to face charges of child trafficking and stealing babies from hospitals.

However, he was acquitted of child-trafficking charges due to insufficient evidence in July 2023 after the prosecution failed to prove that Gilbert Deya stole five children.

He had been accused of handing them to women struggling to become pregnant.

The preacher on June 18, 2025, died following a tragic road accident at Namba Kapiyo along the Kisumu–Bondo highway that also left 15 Moi University students injured.

Final thoughts

From Shakahola’s horrors to prosperity gospel scandals, Kenya’s religious sector has faced repeated crises of credibility. While millions still look to the church for hope and healing, these scandals have underscored the urgent need for stricter oversight, transparency, and theological accountability.