Four preachers rescued after residents accuse them over bizarre claims in Mombasa

There was tension in the Soweto area of Kadzandani, Nyali sub-county, on Friday afternoon after residents confronted at least four preachers over allegations linked to claims that three people had experienced unusual physical symptoms.

The residents alleged that the preachers were responsible for their private parts allegedly "disappearing" or shrinking.

According to residents, the group, which comprised more than four people, was conducting a door-to-door gospel mission in the area.

"But suddenly we saw a commotion, with one of those who had been preached to claiming his private parts had disappeared," an eyewitness said.

Alamin Mgunya, one of the people making the claims, said he was in his house when he heard a knock on the door.

"When I opened the door, there were two people there. They introduced themselves and said they were preaching the gospel.

"They asked me why many people are dying today and I said it is a normal thing. People die. One of them then stretched out his hand to greet me, saying they would come back another time, and asked if I would welcome them back," Mgunya said.

However, Jehovah’s Witness elder Martin Henya said the incident involving four of his colleagues was unfortunate and based on misinformation.

He said Jehovah’s Witnesses have no supernatural powers and cannot alter nature.

"We are known globally as worshippers of Jehovah. Our door-to-door preaching is well known. Even authorities know that we preach door-to-door," Henya said.

He denied any involvement in the allegations.

"That is not our work and we cannot be involved in such," he said outside the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Bamburi near Bashir School.

"We involve ourselves in godly things and helping people learn the Bible. The preachers were welcomed, but it appears some residents did not understand who they were," Henya said.

According to Mgunya, after the visitors left and he returned to bed, he started feeling unwell.

"I felt in my loins that my thing was shrinking. When I checked it, it was becoming smaller like an old man's skin. I panicked and chased after the two," Mgunya said.

He said he found them walking and asked them what they had done to him, but they replied that they had only asked him a question, which he had answered.

"I raised the alarm and neighbours came out. Three people stopped them. Just then another neighbour, a shopkeeper, also came out and, when he saw them, he panicked too and checked himself, only to claim he was experiencing similar symptoms," Mgunya said.

Mgunya said he later called an ustadh who recited prayers, after which he said he started feeling better.

"But now I don't know if it functions normally because I have not been with my wife," he said.

Marsden Milimo, the shopkeeper, said two of the preachers had also attempted to preach to him, but he declined because he was in a hurry.

"But when they left, I felt something was not okay. I was not feeling okay," he said.

As he walked away, he heard about Mgunya's claims.

"I panicked and had to check myself. It was reduced to an abnormal size. It was tiny. It was like it was retracting inside," Milimo said.

He said the ustadh who recited prayers for Mgunya also prayed for him.

Duncan Onyango, the Soweto Mtopanga Phase 2 village elder, said he called assistant chief Samuel Baya after receiving reports that the situation was getting out of hand.

Onyango said the preachers were nearly lynched.

Baya said he arrived and managed to rescue the four before calling the police.

"When I arrived at the scene, residents were beating the four. I had to talk to them to stop and took them to the village elder's house for safety. Then the police arrived," Baya said.

The ustadh, who requested anonymity, said he rushed to the scene after being called by Mgunya.

"When I met him, he was confused. He was not himself. I asked him if he was okay and he said he was not.

"We are Muslims, so I had to say a dua. I read Ayatul Kursi 21 times and at least his senses started coming back," the ustadh said.

Ayatul Kursi, also known as the 'Throne Verse', is the 255th verse of Surah Al-Baqarah, the second chapter of the Quran.

It is revered as one of the most important verses in Islam and is a declaration of God's oneness, supreme power and all-encompassing knowledge.

The four preachers sought refuge in a Swahili house belonging to one of the residents after the crowd became hostile.

Residents assaulted them before they were rescued.

One of the preachers said he rushed to the scene after learning about the commotion.

He said the four were conducting a routine door-to-door preaching mission when one of the residents followed them after the interaction.

"We cannot possibly cause anybody's private parts to disappear.

"We were on a routine mission spreading the promises of God on earth. This is something we normally do. This is work we do legally. We are not an illegal society in Kenya. We are a registered society," the preacher told journalists.

He said no evidence had been presented to support the allegations.

"And if there is a medical issue, then that is the work of medical doctors to handle," he said.

"But one of the complainants claims that he was greeted by one of our colleagues and his private parts disappeared," the preacher said.

Area MCA Fatma Kushe, who visited the scene, appealed to residents not to lynch the four preachers.

She said similar allegations had been reported elsewhere.

"One was reported in Lamu, another in Kwale as we have seen on social media," she said.

She urged people to act responsibly and avoid allowing misunderstandings to escalate into chaos or loss of life.

She also called on residents not to take the law into their own hands before facts are established.