Pastor Ezekiel Odero, the influential head of New Life Prayer Centre, has made headlines with his ambitious Kilifi International School, located in Mavueni, Kilifi County.
Known as one of Kenya’s wealthiest preachers, he owns extensive properties including hotels, malls, a helipad, and a sprawling 65‑acre compound along with a proposed multimillion‑shilling education hub .
Originally designed to serve an affluent clientele, the school charged more than KSh 200,000 per term.
It offers both the Cambridge and Pearson international curricula and is equipped with high‑end facilities: a 50 × 25 m swimming pool, modern theatre, multipurpose sports and cultural halls, well‑fitted science laboratories, and boarding accommodations .
However, in a surprising and compassionate pivot announced during a church service, Odero declared that the school would transition to a fully free model for academically gifted students from needy backgrounds in Kenya and beyond.
He emphasized that tuition, food, and boarding would be covered at no cost, and that admissions would be merit‑based. Those who had already paid fees would continue their studies free of charge in future terms .
Pastor Odero described this move as a spiritual calling a “sacrifice” prompted by God, aimed at addressing the educational inequality faced by bright youths who lack financial support.
Kilifi residents will receive preferential consideration, with the goal of blending excellence in education with social responsibility .
While the full breakdown of allocation between local, national, and international beneficiaries has yet to be disclosed, the shift marks a significant philanthropic gesture.
It illustrates how religious leaders in Kenya are increasingly engaging in high-impact social investment, beyond spiritual ministry.
By Nairobi