Televangelist Ezekiel Odero of New Life Prayer Centre in Mavueni, Kilifi County has hit the headlines again.
On Thursday, April 27, the pastor shot to the top trends on Twitter and other social media platforms, following his arrest by detectives in Mombasa, on suspicion of being Pastor Paul Mackenzie's aide.
Pastor Ezekiel is wanted over the alleged indoctrination of the public in relation to Mackenzie, the owner of Shakahola farm in Kilifi where over 90 bodies of his followers who starved to death were recovered.
But, the man of the cloth is trending for other reasons, among them the choice of the vehicle he drove into the Coast Region Police headquarters with. A Lexus Lx 570.
This is not the first time the preacher is trending. Pastor Ezekiel is known for his opulence and will to amass large crowds he commands at his church both in Mombasa and other parts of the country.
Pastor Ezekiel's New Life TV Kenya YouTube channel would in 2022 make the cut for the top creators' category given the number of views.
Filling Kasarani Stadium
In November last year, Ezekiel was the talk of town after pulling a huge crowd for a crusade at the Kasarani Stadium, with a 60,000 sitting capacity. Not even politicos in Kenya have pulled such large numbers, nor big sporting events.
The soft-spoken pastor however said the crowd was not managed by him but by the 'grace of God.'
"Jesus used me as an instrument to reach out to the masses, it was by grace. I cannot pull such a crowd. But Kasarani was packed to capacity. The stadium management asked me to control the crowd," he said in a past TV interview.
Associates and Possessions
Ezekiel, the newest sensation in televangelism in Kenya hails from Rusinga Island in Homa Bay County and currently resides in Kilifi County.
Before starting his church, the televangelist was associated with the Maximum Miracle Church, something he always mentions in his sermons. He later met Pastor Sarah (now married) with whom they started the New Life Church in Shanzu, Mombasa.
The couple would later relocate to Kilifi County after investing in over 60 acres of land where they built their church. In the same compound, they have built massive structures that include houses for church staff, a clinic, a restaurant, and other amenities.
Images of the church online paint a successful man of God. He boasts of hosting over 40,000 worshippers in the blue-themed open-air church.
Those who have seen him rise are however not quick to judge his source of wealth. He says he is a man from a humble background who worked for years as a mason in Mombasa and later built his empire, during his come-up.
During a past interview with a local daily, Ezekiel revealed that he raised money from selling merchandise to his flock, including custom-made prayer clothes, handkerchiefs, holy water, and anointing oil.
"People crowd my church because I am God's chosen one. When I pray for my anointing oil or the holy water, those who use it end up healed or have their problems solved," he said.
"I am not close to powerful people in the government. However, I have mingled with so many well-connected and powerful people in this country. I don't allow politicians to take to the pulpit in my church...Never," Ezekiel said.
The Lexus 570
His choice of vehicle has caught the eyes of many. The pastor drives a white Lexus Lx 570, estimated to cost between Sh20-27 million.
The LX-570 with a Lexus badge is Toyota's high-end luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV) with comfort, stability, and speed to boot. In Kenya, a 2020 version of the vehicle could set you back between Sh23 million and Sh25 million.
The Lexus is synonymous after President William Ruto used the same brand of vehicle during the vigorous campaigns in the lead-up to the August 9, 2022, presidential election.
The initials "570" represent the vehicle's powerful 5,700cc engine displacement that accelerates from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in seven seconds. The LX-570 is a stable car and weighs 2,600 kilogrammes.
Google also places the pastor's net worth at over Sh1 billion.
Pastor Odero schooled at Ngodhe Island Primary School in Rusinga, Miwani High School in Chemelil, and later joined the Technical University of Mombasa (formerly Mombasa Polytechnic) where he pursued a course in Chemical Processing Technology before dropping out due to a lack of fees.
He is married to Pastor Sarah Odero.
