Self proclaimed prophetess Sinaida Mary Akatsa of Jerusalem Church of Christ in Kawangware, Nairobi, is dead.
Akatsa, popularly known as "Mummy," “Mama Africa” or "Dada Mary," died on Saturday in Nairobi from health complications.
A family member who sought anonymity said the prophetess died at a city hospital due to kidney failure after ailing for a long time.
Akatsa caused a stir in June 1988 when she claimed that she had brought Jesus Christ in her church, a fact that was disputed by many people.
Those who saw the alleged Jesus Christ said he was tall, bearded and bare-foot and was dressed in white robes with his head covered in a turban and appeared ‘from nowhere’ before the congregation, with Akatsa by his side.
"We repeatedly, shouted, “Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus of Nazareth has come, we also asked him to wash our sins.” said Kennedy Teyie a former faithful at the church.
Teyie said that "Jesus Christ" addressed them in Swahili and announced that the people of Kenya and the country were blessed especially those who had gathered at the church.
"He was full of praise for Mummy and asked us to respect the prophetess since she was a true representative of The Most High but I was shocked when after the service he was given a lift by another Asian man instead of flying back to heaven," he said.
The news of the Asian man who had been confused to be Jesus Christ caused anxiety in the country with the prophetess later on clarifying that he had only come to the church for prayers.
"My detractors are the ones spreading lies about me and the church to confuse people that person was an Indian man who came to church to pray like other people," she said.
The prophetess was among the pioneer lady preachers in the country and opened her church in Kawangware near Muslim area in mid 1980s before relocating to Kawangware 56 in 1990s.
Akatsa who has never disclosed her year of birth is believed to be in her late 70`s or early 80`s.
She was born in Bunyore, Vihiga county and was married to Mr Akatsa (now deceased) who hailed from Kisa, Kakamega county.
The prophetess said that she doesn`t entertain adultery in her church and she divorced the husband because of adultery.
Akatsa who could speak different East African languages and who had a large following of worshipers said in a previous interview that she was taken from her parents home in Bunyore when she was eight-years-old to work as a house help in Kikuyu, Kiambu county and that`s where she got the revelation to begin the work of God.
"My parents died when I was very young and I was brought to Kikuyu to work as maid and working in the farm.I started this work of praying to people when I was very young at the age of nine or 10 years," she said.
Several leaders have eulogized Akatsa her as a religious leader who helped society and especially Dagoretti North constituency.
Among those who mourned her were the Kisii Governor Simba Arati, Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi and Kilimani MCA Moses Ogeto.
"She was passionate and concerned about youth matters. She visited my office several times when I was the area MP to discuss agenda for the youths and also campaigned for me to his supporters when I was seeking the seat of MP," said Arati.
The governor revealed that Akatsa was his ardent supporter and prayed to God to rest her soul in eternal peace.
Elachi said that Akatsa began the work of evangelism in Kawangware in 1990`s when she was still young.
"I started hearing about her transforming lives of many through prayers and Bible and at the time we didn't have many churches as we see today, many people would congregate at the gate leading to her Church very early for prayers and miracles," she said.
The MP urged the prophetess’s followers and those who knew her to celebrate her life and emulate her good deeds.
Ogeto said that the late preacher was a disciplinarian who helped transform the lives of youths in the constituency through prayers and Bible study.
He said that a number of hardcore criminals who operated in Kilimani and the surrounding areas chose got saved and abandoned their criminal activities after visiting Akatsa`s church, something he said she will be remembered for.
It is not known whether the prophetess had biological children but she adopted many children that she educated and ensured they get employment.
"Many of the women or girls in the country and elsewhere in the world called Sinaida have been named after Mummy Sinaida Mary Akatsa,"said the prophetess’s follower Dorcas Mbithi.
People who knew Akatsa said she was a philanthropist who also invested in land in different parts of the country mainly in Western, Trans Nzoia and Nairobi counties.
She was once embroiled in a land dispute with private developers over area where the church stands in Kawangware 56.
The row ended following intervention by some senior government officials in the then provincial administration.
According to her congregants she travelled widely in the country and the world doing evangelism.
Akatsa who was also a gospel music composer with her church band was known to be strict on followers and they had to run when entering church and she would beat whoever went against the rules.
"You know here people from different backgrounds come here and you see I am a woman if I don`t inculcate discipline in them they can over run me that`s why those who are not disciplined I beat them," the prophetess said.
Her church attracted people from different walks of life and some politicians went to the prophetess for prayers during the electioneering period.
Faithful sat on the floor as there were no chairs in the church.
In March 2021, Akatsa was in the news again when she officiated a wedding ceremony of a deceased man and his partner.
She officiated the wedding of Beatrice Mbayi and her late husband William Godfrey Mukalama in Funyula, Busia county, who were her followers.
The bride was wearing a white gown and was escorted by women from the community, as she walked down the aisle to the corpse in a casket.
"We are aware it is not your wish to have a wedding ceremony in this manner, but kindly accept this ring so that you and your wife will remain one," Prophetess Akatsa said then.
She said during the wedding that members of the church view death as a graduation, hence the belief that even in death a couple could remain together.
In December last year about 20 self-confessed hardcore criminals presented themselves at her church and repented during a service to usher in the New Year.
They were prayed for by Akatsa after she spotted them among the worshipers.
The reformed criminals came from Gachie in Kiambu County, Kibera and Kawangware and were mainly youths between the age of 18 and 3.
One of the youths from Congo in Kawangware, who requested not to be named for security reasons, said that he decided to repent after of his six accomplices were gunned down by police.
He said that he joined crime because he didn’t have a job and his wife had deserted him.
“I have been a hardcore criminal for more than six years and killed many people but after losing my friends who were shot dead, I decided to change,” he said.
Another youth David Ndunda (not his real name) and who claimed to have reformed, told Akatsa that together with one of his accomplices who has since died, they had been contracted at one point to assassinate her in the church.
He said that some people, who were against the popularity of the preacher in the area, had assigned them to finish her but through guidance and prayers from Akatsa, he abandoned the plans.
Ndunda said he repented some few years ago after visiting the church and got saved after a botched robbery mission in Karen where his five accomplices were killed by Flying Squad officers.
“After I survived the killing, I lost a colleague with whom I had been assigned to kill Mummy Akatsa, I came to her, repented and now doing genuine business,” said Ndunda.
Akatsa said that because the youths had chosen to repent their sins publicly and receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, she would not take them to the police.
She promised to help them secure employment and do business.
“Now that they have repented and so that they don’t get back to crime, I will ensure I open for them small businesses and buy them motorcycles to work as boda boda riders,” said Akatsa.
The preacher said that many youths get into crime because of economic hardships and if they choose to change and not shown what to do after that, they would still go back to crime.
She said that she would use her influence and connections to help those who repent gain employment.
Now what remains to be seen after Akatsa's demise is how her church will be run because she single handedly led the faithful.
