In Kenya, a Christian sect prays to an angel, saints at formerly pagan shrines

A red candle flickers at the altar dedicated to Archangel Michael. Photo by Tom Osanjo.

KISUMU—A bright red candle burns on the altar as Daniel Owino, 27, concentrates deep in prayer. He has traveled from Bondo Town, some 30 miles away, to come to this shrine because a local prophet revealed to him some deep issues in his life which required special time with God.

This particular altar, about 250 miles west of Nairobi, is dedicated to Archangel Michael — and it is the first stop for the pilgrims who come to his shrine for prayers each week. There are others scattered around the area’s rock formation, called Kit Mikayi. There is a shepherd’s rod, a wooden dagger and a miniature red flag. Red is the color of Michael, Owino said.

The other shrines are dedicated to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and here prayers are offered using white candles. Her husband Joseph’s shrine is a few meters away, and pilgrims offer prayers using purple candles. Prayers at Abraham’s shrine require orange candles, and prophet Daniel’s shrine requires maroon candles.

The pride of place goes to Michael’s altar because he is the one who leads God’s army. All the pilgrims start with offering prayers at this particular altar before moving to the altars dedicated to the other saints and prophets.

“After you offer prayers here, you are free to go to the other altars. Michael comes first when you are faced with spiritual battle, and that is why we all start from this point,” Owino said.

Owino said he intended to remain for five days.

“I believe what lies ahead is quite difficult and only prayer and fasting can help break the chains around my life,” Owino said.

Kit Mikayi is popular with pilgrims like Owino who are drawn from local sects, which in some cases mix African traditional practices with their Christianity. Those who come here are from the Legio Maria (Legion of Mary), Nomiya Luo Church, the Last Call and Roho Maler (Holy Spirit) churches.

These churches are popular, especially among the people in the lower classes of society. Their infusion of Christian beliefs with some African traditional practices make them more popular to these people than conventional churches — like Anglican or Catholic congregations.

But it has not always been so. Local folklore has it that Ngeso, the man who founded the village around Kit Mikayi, was a polygamous man with three wives. Settling into the area around 100 years ago, he discovered that he could get some peace and rest when he went to the rock. He enjoyed it so much that his wives, jealous of the time he spent at the rock, started calling it Kit Mikayi, meaning the rock of the first wife.

But there is a difference of opinion on the real reason for the name. Another version has it that Ngeso built two homes: one for the first wife around the rock, hence its belonging to the first wife, and the second one for the other two wives.

Stephen Ogambi, 38, is Ngeso’s great grandson. He said that the rock later acquired religious significance because when Ngeso and his fellow elders offered sacrifices there, miracles would happen.

“If there was a drought and there was a risk of famine because of not planting, Ngeso and his fellow elders would sacrifice a goat,” Ogambi said. “The goat was never slaughtered but hit on the rock until it died. It was then roasted and feasted upon by the elders. The very day the skies would open and people would then plant crops.” 

Ogambi said that the miniature forest around the rock teems with herbs of medicinal value. 

“I know some of the herbs there are effective in stopping bleeding, treating septic wounds and are also good in curing stomach ailments,” he said.

Daniel Owino displays the message written in “angelic” language. Photo by Tom Osanjo.

Ogambi even said that he has seen bedridden people pick up their sick beds and walk back home after relatives prayed for them, just like the paralytic man Jesus healed in the gospels.

Owino holds a small note with writings that one cannot easily read. He said a preacher came to him at the prayer site and interceded for him. The writing, he said, is an angelic message that even he can’t understand.

“This man has the gift of hearing from angels. I am sure before I leave here another person with the gift of interpreting angelic writings will come by and help me read what the angels were telling me,” he said.

All around are such discarded messages, reminiscent of the Wailing Wall of Jerusalem.

In a paper on Nomiya Luo Church and other independent African churches in Kenya, Dr. Mildred Ndeda of Kenyatta University said:

“In earlier years, these churches were seen as a reaction to colonialism but when they continued to mushroom, in modern times, society began to reconsider the causes. Today, there are about 9,000 African Independent Churches (AICs) with millions of followers estimated at 15 per cent of Africa's total Christian population.”

According to some sources, these estimates are too conservative, since the movements are growing faster than scholars are studying them. Independent African Churches emerged at a remarkably earlier date in Kenya, and even before the First World War there was articulate independence. The independent African Church Movement emerged in response to colonial presence and became a vital part of the political history of Kenya. It was important at a time when there were few other expressions of African response to colonial presence so that independence in the church has emerged as obviously significant by virtue of its scale. After independence, Barret said that by 1966, there were 166 independent churches, and by 1978 they had become a matter of state concern.

After Eunice Adhiambo’s marriage collapsed, the 30 year old left her children with her estranged husband and entered the Legio Maria church as itinerant intercessor, praying for people’s needs in the shrines across the region.

She said she gets great satisfaction when she sees prayers answered. 

“When you are doing God’s work, He is the one who plans your life. Mine is just to obey,” she said.

Tom Osanjo is a Nairobi-based correspondent for Religion Unplugged. He is a former parliamentary reporter and has covered sports, politics and more for Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper.