Francis Odongo Asewe was once a devout member of Melkio St Joseph Missions of Messiah Africa Church in Rongo, Migori County.
His journey began after his mother separated from his father due to the latter’s deep involvement in the church.
Asewe was taken to Rongo as a child and raised under the strict doctrines of the sect.
He claims members were required to take an oath that forbade them from ever leaving the church compound.
Breaking the oath allegedly led to sickness, death, or lightning strikes.
The church prohibited medical treatment, relying solely on prayer, even in life-threatening situations.
Deceased members were buried immediately without mortuary preservation and always within church grounds.
Families were neither informed of the deaths nor allowed to claim their loved ones’ bodies.
Asewe says the members prayed nonstop from morning till late at night, every single day.
Joining the church meant cutting off all ties with family and friends.
Members were warned that death within the church guaranteed a place in heaven, but use of mortuaries would lead to damnation.
Marriages were forbidden; couples who joined were separated.
Women were expected to abandon their husbands and live at the church under the mentorship of elder female members.
No one was allowed to look at the church leader’s face; kneeling was mandatory when he passed.
Asewe says the leader was treated as a divine being.
The church is now under investigation following the mysterious deaths of two members.
During a police raid, 57 emaciated congregants were rescued, refusing medical help due to church rules.
Authorities have since shut down the premises despite resistance from loyal followers.
The story has shocked the nation and raised alarm about cultic religious movements in rural Kenya.
By Newsmedia