Mary Akatsa, prophetess who brought 'Jesus' to Kawangware, finally goes to meet her maker

The leader of Jerusalem Church of Christ Mary Akatsa at her Church in January  01,2021. [Collins Kweyu,Standard]

She brought an Asian “Jesus Christ” to the thousands of her followers in her church in Nairobi’s Kawangware, performed wedding ceremonies between the living and the dead and transformed self-confessed hardcore killer criminals into preachers of the Gospel.

Prophetess Sinaida Mary Akatsa suffered no fools in her ministry. Any indication of waywardness was met by instant disciplinary action, meted by herself. Grown men and women were whipped in broad daylight and under public glare, literally, at the slightest show of indiscipline.

And when news of her death broke out early this week, Kenyans expectedly reacted with mixed feelings.

A governor, Member of Parliament and a Member of County Assembly were among the first people to send their condolences.

Though a row has erupted over where the leader of Jerusalem Church of Christ, headquartered in the sprawling Kawangware estate, should be buried, Dada Mary is most best remembered for the controversies that defined her preaching life.

And the controversies are bound to continue after her death, considering that the apparently humble woman of God has left behind earthly property worth hundreds of millions of shillings spread across the country. 

From making ‘revelations’ and ‘healing’ the sick to whipping those who disobeyed her, Akatsa caused a stir in June 1988 when she claimed that she had brought Jesus Christ to her church.

Most of her followers believed in her word and promise religiously. The preacher’s profile rose instantly when she announced to the congregation an important guest would be coming to deliver a ‘special’ message.

Soon, a tall bearded and bare-foot ‘Jesus’ dressed in white robes and his head covered in a turban appeared before the congregation, with Akatsa by his side.

The flock ruptured into ululation shouting “Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus of Nazareth” as ‘Jesus’ walked through the aisle to the amusement of Akatsa’s followers. To them, she had achieved a feat no preacher had managed in Kenya – that of bringing Jesus Christ in the country!

When the ‘messiah’ addressed the crowd, he announced in Kiswahili that the people of Kenya were blessed. ‘Jesus’ praised Akatsa and announced the imminent end of the world.

The Indian man beseeched the faithfuls to respect the prophetess since she was a true representative of God.

After service, ‘Jesus’ was driven out, but alighted at 56 terminus, which is a few metres from the church. The ‘messiah’ after alighting, vanished into thin air fueling the theory that he was indeed Jesus Christ.

Although at that time Akatsa had her followers believe that the strange man was the Son of God who was promised in the Bible to come back in different forms, she would later deny Jesus appeared at her church, claiming the Indian man who was being confused for Jesus had only come to the church for prayers.

Ten years later, Akatsa was in the news again, this time performing a bizarre wedding ceremony between a man and his dead wife.

On March 17, 1998, Ma ya Ihii villagers in Kikuyu were treated to drama when Francis Muiruri Amos ‘exchanged’ vows with his departed wife Rosemary Wambui. The ceremony was conducted in respect of the wishes of Akatsa, who interestingly worked as a house help for the couple before shooting to fame. 

When Wambui became sick in 1998, it was decided that the couple hold a church wedding and arrangements were immediately put in place. However, before Muiruri and his wife could say I do, Wambui succumbed to her illness on March 5, 1998.

Immediately, Muiruri with assistance from the high priestess and other followers of the church, started making arrangements for a wedding. Clothes were fitted, rings were bought, the maid of honour and best man were identified.

Come March 17 and a procession of cars carrying the faithful collected Wambui’s body from Kenyatta National Hospital mortuary and proceeded to Jerusalem Church for the wedding ceremony presided over by Akatsa before the ‘bridal/funeral’ party left for the couple’s Ma ya Ihii home.

A few days later, however, the Registrar of Marriages at the Attorney General’s Chambers noted that marriage was a contract between two people and since a dead person could not be party to an agreement, the marriage was a nullity in law.

As recently as 2021, the prophetess was in the news again, this time performing a bizarre wedding ceremony between a woman and her dead husband.

Akatsa presided over the wedding of Beatrice Mbayi and William Godfrey Mukalama who was being buried at the couple’s Funyula home in Busia County. Mbayi and Mukalama were members of her church.

The bride was wearing a white wedding dress and was escorted by women in the community, as she walked besides the corpse being carried 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,” stated Akatsa to the bewilderment of the rather fearful mourners and villagers who had flocked the homestead to witness the weird ceremony.

And in death, the prophetess continues to stoke controversy just like when she was alive when few dared to challenge her.

A row has erupted over where she should be laid to rest.

According to some church members, Akatsa’s must be interred at the church headquarters in Kawangware 56.

But members of her Abanyore sub-tribe are against this proposal. They want Dada Mary buried in Bunyore, Vihiga County, where she was born.

Akatsa, who never disclosed her exact birth year, is believed to have been in her 70s. She was feared and loved in equal measure by her followers who believe she deserves to be buried at the church premises.

David Simiyu, a church member, says the death of the controversial preacher had left a significant gap, and the only way for followers to remember her is by burying her at the Kawangware church where she led the ministry. However, Tom Oscar Matabala feels it would be more appropriate if her body was taken to her rural home and buried there, as she also had a large following in the area.

Akatsa was once married in the neighbouring Kisa, Khwisero sub-county, but the union did not last.

Some people in Kisa are also pushing to have her burial next to her estranged, and already dead, husband.

According to Jonathan Omunyolo from Kisa, locals are willing to inter Akatsa if the dispute between the Abanyore and church members is not resolved.

“In Luhya culture, if a woman is divorced, it is customary for her to be buried where she was married, especially if dowry had been paid,” said Eunice Ongachi, echoing Omunyolo’s sentiments.

Akatsa rose to prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s through her frenzied prayers and healing ‘powers’.

On multiple occasions, Akatsa emphasised that she did not tolerate adultery within her church. This stance, she explained, was why she had divorced her husband, whom she accused of infidelity.

According to her followers, the late preacher was a woman of means who had acquired several properties around the country, especially land.

She is said to own swathes of land and other properties in Nairobi’s Kawangware and Karen neighbourhoods, Kiambu’s affluent Runda estate, Kakamega and Vihiga counties.

In December last year, about 20 self-confessed ‘hardcore criminals’ presented themselves at her church and repented their sins during a service to usher in the New Year.

The ‘reformed criminals’ came from Gachie, Kibra and Kawangware. One of the youths who requested not to be named for security reasons, said that he decided to repent after six of his colleagues were gunned down by police.

He said that he joined the world of hard-core criminals because he did not have employment and his wife had also run away.

“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 of the men claimed he was among a gang that had been recruited to assassinate Akatsa in her church.

According to the young man, some people who were against the popularity of the preacher had assigned them to finish her but through guidance and prayers from Akatsa, he abandoned the mission.

Akatsa promised to help them secure employment and do business.

“Now that they have repented, I will ensure I open for them small businesses,” pledged Dada Mary.

Those who have mourned her include Kisii Governor Simba Arati, Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi and Kilimani MCA Moses Ogeto.

“She was passionate about youth issues. She visited my office several times when I was the area MP to discuss youth matters and even campaigned for me when I was seeking the MP seat,” said Arati.

Elachi said Akatsa began her evangelism work in Kawangware in the 1990s when she was still young.

“Back then, we had far fewer churches, and many people would gather at her church gate early for prayers and miracles,” Elachi recalled.

Ogeto described the late preacher as a disciplinarian who helped transform the lives of youth through prayer and Bible teachings.

He said several hardcore criminals operating in Kilimani and its surroundings abandoned their criminal activities after visiting Akatsa.