In God's name: How gospel greats sow seeds of sin

Kabi and Milly WaJesus take a selfie at the 2019 Groove Awards. [David Gichuru, Standard]

The good old book - the Bible - says that the devil is out to “steal, kill and destroy.”

The average Christian knows this, and gospel music artists who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ and claim to represent him through their lifestyles and music are no different.

When they get embroiled in scandals involving them in unchristian-like situations, they direct all the blame to the devil.

They allege that they did not know what they were doing and that the devil led them astray.

Kabi WaJesus, an online content creator, recently owned up and pledged to take care of a child he had denied was his not long ago.

At the time he did a YouTube video, together with his wife Milly WaJesus, claiming that people out to destroy him posted the photos of him and the child known as Abby and went ahead to claim the baby was his.

It emerged later that the mother of the child, who is Kabi’s cousin, had gone to court to demand that he pays child support.

YouTuber Peter Kabi alias Kabi WaJesus. [Courtesy: Instagram, Kabi]

Kabi denied everything and the court ordered a paternity test. The results came out on May 5, and Kabi was found to be the biological father of the child.

In a statement posted on his Instagram page, Kabi said: “I wish to confirm that the paternity results were issued and confirmed that I am the biological father of the child. The results confirm that, in 2013 (which was before I got born again and married), I sired Abby. I know this news comes as a shock to many of you who follow and watch us. I also know that my public comments about this matter gave a false impression, which I deeply regret.”

His wife, Milly WaJesus, said she would support Kabi in taking care of the child - a task he had neglected for the last seven years.

“Guys, as you can guess, this has not been easy. But you know, life is never easy. I understand that we all have a past. And sometimes that past is tough and hard to understand. But I am also a mother, and I know that every child needs love and support from the parents,” she said.

“As a mother, I will do all that is possible to assist my husband to support Abby, and to make sure that she integrates into our family.”

Kabi, however, may not be charged in a court of law for having sexual relations with his cousin. Based on the Sexual Offences Act (2006), incest is defined as sexual relations between persons with blood ties. It leaves out cousins from the list.

When disk jockey Samuel Muraya alias Deejay Mo was caught up in a cheating scandal, his celebrity wife Linet Mulinya alias Size 8 blamed the devil for the woes that hang over her family like a dark cloud.

DJ Mo during the launch of Gire brand in Karen on July 4, 2020. [David Gichuru, Standard]

She said she was going to fight for her marriage through prayer and fasting. DJ Mo did not apologise for the scandal, at least not publicly.

When the apologies come from artistes, it leaves the public wondering whether they are genuine or just a way to appease people.

“Yes, the apologies are genuine,” said Groove Awards winner Simon Wambua alias Hope Kid, who has been caught up in a sexual scandal himself with his good friend Daniel Kilonzo alias DK Kwenye Beat.

Hope Kid and DK Kwenye Beat found themselves in the eye of a storm when a woman accused them of rape and infecting her with a sexually transmitted disease. The woman, the daughter of a Nakuru-based preacher, used a blogger to expose them.

To try and mitigate the damage the confession had caused, Size 8 posted a video with DK Kwenye Beat on her YouTube channel in which she interviewed him on the matter. He blamed the devil and offered an apology.

Kevin Kioko, alias Bahati, was blamed by Yvette Obura, a woman who has his child, of cheating on her with his current wife Diana Marua, when she came out guns blazing accusing him of being a deadbeat.

Obura said she had dated the singer for a number of years and got a baby. She added that the singer dropped her when he met Diana. The singer owned up and started taking care of the child. When rumours surfaced later that he was cheating again, this time on his wife Diana Marua, he did not address the matter, but chose silence, again. 

He went on to post a photo of himself and DK Kwenye Beat and a Groove Awards official Maurice Kivs, captioning it “Romans 3:10 No man is perfect.”

Singer Kevin Kioko alias Bahati. [Courtesy]

According to gospel dancehall artiste Peter Omolo alias J Fam, these apologies come from a spiritual place, and recognition of imperfection.

“The Bible says we all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. This means no one is perfect and therefore when you do a mistake you have to apologise,” he said.

“So our apologies are always real because we know what the word of God entails. And our God is always merciful.”

Moses Omondi, alias Mr Seed, has also been on the spot recently after a blogger with a massive following online exposed him for his cheating escapade. It was claimed that the singer impregnated a woman and even went ahead to tell her to do away with the baby.

A source close to Mr Seed’s camp revealed that the blogger was played and the move was just to push his new song ‘Ndoa’. Mr Seed in 2019 was caught up in another cheating scandal when a lady, Leila Ambani, accused him of forcing himself on her. The lady would later recant the testimony given to a local publication.

Peter Mwangi, a pastor at Life Church Limuru and host of the Angaza Gospel Show, says artistes are not doing the gospel industry justice as they ought to, most are there for the fame and the money that comes with it. Boni Nyaga, a journalist and publicist believes, most apologies are not well thought out, especially in this era of social media, where personalities feel like they can easily connect with their fans.