Eleven family members from Nyagacho Village, Mogusii in Borabu Constituency, Nyamira County have gone missing since October 2019.
They are believed to have joined Pastor Paul Makenzi's church in Kilifi. Two brothers, Joseph Ntabo and Richard Ntabo and all their family members sold all they had, quit their well-paying jobs, and travelled to Kilifi to join pastor Makenzi's Good News International Church.
Among those missing is a university student who was pursuing Public Relations course at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology. He was in his final year.
They had all hopes that they could go fast and have a chance to meet Jesus Christ. The two are sons of Nicholas Ntabo and Hellen Ntabo.
Since the reports of the deaths at the Kilifi-based church emerged, the family has not known peace.
Before resigning, one worked with the Nairobi Water Company while the other worked with a private security firm in Nairobi.
Before traveling to Kilifi, they resigned as devoted members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Ms Ntabo said she only got information from her grandchildren that they were set to travel to Mombasa for fasting and prayers as they were set to also go and meet Jesus.
"They had been praying together in one of the houses in Nairobi. They sold land and one of them sold his car and headed to Kilifi."
The family's fourth-born son, Frank Ntabo says his niece had made a report at one of the police stations in Nairobi when her parents opted to force her brothers and sisters to abandon their studies.
"She went against the wishes of her parents and informed the police of what was happening. Her parents, on being summoned to record police statements, sold all that had remained and proceeded to Kilifi."
According to Frank, residential houses in Nairobi are part of the properties that his brothers sold.
He says the two had visited home in October 2019 as Covid-19 was about to strike the country. Around that time is when they sold their family land and left never again to pick up calls.
"There is no doubt that they must have joined Pastor Mackenzi's church. We don't know whether they are alive or dead." The family has since dispatched four members to Kilifi to trace their loved ones, even as leaders called for calmness and prayers from ordained church leaders.
Former Kisii Governor James Ongwae said a number of those who had been traced to the church were from Western and Nyanza. "We need to ask ourselves a hard question on why our people are losing the Christian faith."
