With the unfolding events in Shakahola Forest in Kilifi County, the focus has shifted to one man, Pastor Ezekiel Ambok Odero.
He was arrested on Thursday over his alleged role in the indoctrination of his followers.
Born on March 23, 1978, in Rusinga Island, Homa Bay County, Ezekiel was raised by his mother and grandfather Daniel Odero.
Ezekiel started his education at the Ngodhe Island Primary School in Rusinga before he relocated with his grandfather to Seme in Kisumu County and enrolled at Yeye Primary School and thereafter, Miwani High School in Chemelil, Kisumu.
According to his profile as documented by the investigating team, after high school, Ezekiel relocated to Mombasa and joined the Mombasa Polytechnic (now the Technical University of Mombasa), to pursue a diploma course in Chemical Processing Technology.
But he dropped out of college in his second year due to financial difficulties.
Bishop Muiru connection
After dropping out of college, Ezekiel began doing menial jobs in construction and around the year 2000, he joined Bishop Pius Muiru’s Maximum Miracle Church as a choir teacher and thereafter praise and worship teacher.
According to authorities investigating the matter, his encounter with Muiru came to shape his life significantly and could have inspired him to establish his church while maintaining a close relationship with Muiru.
Marriage
Ezekiel is married to Sara Wanzu for ten years now and they have three children, two biological kids and one adopted.
In 2010, the couple established New Life Church in Shanzu, Mombasa County.
In the subsequent years, the church grew significantly and in March 2022, following repeated threats of terror attacks by al-Shabaab, they relocated the church from Shanzu to Mavueni in Kilifi County on a 65-acre piece of land.
The church
The church operated for about two years without formal registration but was finally registered in September 2012.
It is current physical location is Mitangoni, Kilifi County.
Widespread teachings
Ezekiel’s church receives multitudes of worshipers from different parts of the country as well as from Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Sweden, the United States and other European countries.
The church’s services run daily with the exception of Mondays and receive an average of 1,000 visitors during the week and about 30,000 during weekends.
His tribulations started following the arrest of Pastor Paul Mackenzie who has been linked to the deaths at Shakahola forest.
Mackenzie is being accused of having allegedly directed his followers to starve to death.
Police have camped in the forest and have so far exhumed over 100 bodies as investigations continue.
Meanwhile, Pastor Ezekiel will be arraigned on Friday over his alleged links to indocrination of his followers.
