By David Odongo and Oscar Plato Updated Friday, January 10th 2014
at 10:00 GMT +3
Prophet David Owuor and Bishop Dr
Margaret Wanjiru are embroiled in an ugly fight over claims of prosperity
gospel and ‘fake miracles’. The two servants of God have been lashing at each
other, each questioning the credibility of the other’s miracles, qualifications
and dedication to serve God. Prophet Owuor has over the past few months been
castigating ‘false prophets’ whom he claims their sole aim was “to milk money
from the congregation”. But he was more than blunt recently, when in front of
huge crowds in Kakamega and on live TV, termed Bishop Wanjiru “a false
prophet”. He further mocked the Jesus is Alive Ministries founder, saying: “She
claims the glory is here yet she can’t even perform one miracle,” to a
thunderous crowd.
Days after Prophet Owuor attacked
her on live TV, Bishop Wanjiru promptly responded. In an interview with The
Nairobian, Bishop Wanjiru dismissed Prophet Owuor as “an idler who has so much
time in his hands and nothing to do with it”. She further questioned Prophet
Owuor’s famous claim that he never accepts sadaka from his congregation. “Can
he explain the fleet of expensive cars he drives around in? Can he explain the
lavish lifestyle he is accustomed to? I would want to know which spiritual
world he gets those things from so that I can also go and get them for myself,”
said an angry Bishop Wanjiru. She further claimed Prophet Owuor’s miracles were
highly questionable. “Can someone explain to me how someone in crutches will
walk just for the duration of Owuor’s rally and the next day they are back to
using crutches? He just gives people energizers and claims he is performing
miracles,” claimed Bishop Wanjiru, terming Prophet Owuor a “one-day miracle
man”.
Wanjiru further said she had issues
with Owuor calling himself a prophet. “Who anointed him as a prophet? We are
all servants of God. We serve the same God. In fact, Owuor’s academic papers
are very questionable,” she said. Bishop Wanjiru says her church members who
were “very bitter” informed her of Owuor’s hostility towards her. “I ignored
him (for days after the Kakamega crusade) as I have always done but I think
this time, I needed to respond,” says Bishop Wanjiru. Bishop Wanjiru attributes
Prophet Owuor’s hostility towards her to jealousy. “He is idle, and he has
spent a lot of time trying to fight me, but I let God fight my battles. I
ignore him and I think it hurts him. He wants to be noticed. And he can achieve
that by attacking me. I remain steadfast in my commitment to serve God and I won’t
let Owuor distract me,” says Bishop Wanjiru.
When reached for comment, Prophet
Owuor’s handlers declined to comment. However, the head of the Ministry of
Repentance and Holiness has in the past said he does not engage in “prosperity
gospel”. He once said: “In some towns like Mombasa, prostitutes go to pastors
to pray for them so that they can get clients, and they promise to give tithes
from the proceeds of their activities. God is angry over witchcraft in the
church. Some church leaders mix God with witchcraft.” The prophet has
maintained that the church in Kenya has lost its moral authority. There has
been speculation about his nationality, but he insists he is a Kenyan from
Siaya. He refuses to talk about his trademark unkempt beard. He said in an
interview on October 19, 2004, that he was shown the state of the church in
Kenya and had to preach to the clergy across the country to repent.
“The pastors and bishops were and
still are preaching the gospel of prosperity,” he said. “They engage in
material gospel and this leads to sexual sin and some even abandon their call
and join politics. I am an example. We do not collect offering during our
meetings but God provides. If I were to collect offerings, I would become a
millionaire instantly but that is not what I was called for.” Bishop Wanjiru
has had her fair share of negative publicity. In a previous interview, Wanjiru
confessed to have dabbled in witchcraft before she got saved. Before one “jigger-infested
man” came to the scene a few years back, claiming to be her estranged husband,
Wanjiru was to wed a South African. Kamangu Ndimu put a damper on Wanjiru’s
plans and the wedding was called off. CLICK
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