BBC Pidgin of Thursday, 4 May 2023

Source: BBC

Which kain message di pastor of Good News International Church bin dey preach to im congregation wey starve?

Di leader of one Christian cult for Kenya Pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie Di leader of one Christian cult for Kenya Pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie

Di leader of one Christian cult for Kenya go appear for court next week, as authorities still dey dig up di bodies dem see for mass graves on im land. Dem don discover at least 90 bodies so far.

Pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie bin tok say e close down im Good News International Church four years ago afta nearly nearly 20 years of operation.

But BBC don uncover hundreds of im sermons wey still dey available online, some wey be like say e record afta e shut down di church.

Which kain picture e paint of di man wey im followers starve themselves to death?

'Make no-one turn back'

Na wit a passionate voice, Pastor Mackenzie dey deliver im sermons to large congregations wey dey under di power of im apocalyptic themes.

"We go soon win di battle… make no-one turn back… di journey go soon end," one banner across di screen read.

One series of videos for im church YouTube channel get di caption: "End Time Kids" and e show groups of young children wey dey deliver messages to di camera.

Oda messages na exorcisms, wia im followers - mostly women – go dey roll for ground as e "torment" di demonic forces inside dem.

Dis YouTube channels get thousands of subscribers and one Facebook page wey im church set up, dey share links to many of di videos.

E no dey clear wen dem feem di sermon, but reference dey to one upcoming preaching event by Pastor Mackenzie for Nairobi for January 2020, wey contradict im claim say e don end im preaching activities di previous year.

'Children dey cry because dem dey hungry, make dem die'

Former members of di church don claim say dem dey force dem to fast as part of di church teachings.

No direct evidence for di dozens of videos we don see show wia Pastor Mackenzie directly order pipo to fast, but plenty references dey to wia e tell im followers say make dem sacrifice wetin dem hold dear, including dia lives.

"E get pipo wey no even wan preach [about] Jesus. Dem say dia children dey cry because dem dey hungry, make dem die. Problem dey for dia?"

For one interview wit di Kenyan Nation newspaper a few weeks ago, Pastor Mackenzie bin deny say im force im followers to fast.

“E get house or enclosure or one fence somewia for di farm wey dem don see wia pipo fit dey locked up?” e reply wen di reporter ask am about dis.

'Education dey evil'

Anoda theme of Pastor Mackenzie sermons na di idea say formal education dey satanic and dem dey use am extort money.

"Dem know say education be evil. But dem dey use am for dia own gains" e tok for one sermon. "Those wey dey sell uniforms, write books…those wey dey make pens… all kinds of rubbish. Dem dey use your money enrich themselves while you become poor."

For 2017 and again for 2018, authorities arrest am on top accuse say e dey encourage children say make dem no go school as e claim say education "no dey recognised for di Bible.”

Pastor Mackenzie don also condemn education say e dey spread homosexuality through sex education programmes.

"I tell pipo education na evil…. E dey teach children gayism and lesbianism,'' e tell di Nation newspaper.

Doctors dey serve a different God

E bin also encourage mothers say make dem no seek medical attention during childbirth and make dem no vaccinate dia children.

For one of di videos, one woman narrate how she help deliver a baby through prayer and without di need for a caesarean section, she add say she later receive "warning" from di holy spirit to warn her neighbour against vaccinating her child.

Di pastor come echo her sentiments say vaccines no dey necessary, e claim say doctors dey "serve a different God".

He also discourage women say make dem no plait dia hair, wear wigs plus ornaments.

Satanic symbols and global conspiracies

Most of Pastor Mackenzie preaching relate to di fulfilment of Biblical prophecies about Judgement Day.

Di church online content also feature posts about di end of di world, di coming doom plus di supposed dangers of science.

And plenty frequent warnings dey of one omnipotent satanic force wey don supposedly penetrate di highest echelons of power around di world.

E dey repeatedly tok about di "New World Order" - one conspiracy theory about plot by global elites to bring about authoritarian world government, wey go replace nation states – wey falsely dey claim say na di Catholic Church, di UN and di US dey behind am.