See How the Self-proclaimed god Jehovah Wanyonyi Died and Buried

Though the family of the 98-year-old insists that the father of more than 95 and husband to many is still alive, local administrators say Mr Wanyonyi died on July 18


The leaders say Wanyonyi died as he was being taken to the hospital in Kitale after falling “very sick”. “The family came to me for a burial permit after they claimed that Jehova Wanyonyi succumbed to illness on his way to Cherangany Nursing Home in Kitale town,” Kipsomba Chief Daniel Busienei told The Standard. Mr Busienei said the family came to him after the hospital demanded a burial permit before releasing the body to them. “I told my assistant chief to issue them with a permit to allow the deceased family to lay him to rest,” said Busienei.The leaders say Wanyonyi died as he was being taken to the hospital in Kitale after falling “very sick”. “The family came to me for a burial permit after they claimed that Jehova Wanyonyi succumbed to illness on his way to Cherangany Nursing Home in Kitale town,” Kipsomba Chief Daniel Busienei told The Standard. Mr Busienei said the family came to him after the hospital demanded a burial permit before releasing the body to them. “I told my assistant chief to issue them with a permit to allow the deceased family to lay him to rest,” said Busienei.

The shrine caretaker said neighbours of Jehovah Wanyonyi, who saw him being whisked to hospital, began spreading rumours that he was dead but that was not the truth. But a Chemororoch resident who sought anonymity for fear of Jehovah’s family and followers’ wrath, said that the god must have died and challenged the sect members and family to disclose where he was being treated. Spinal injury “Jehovah was ill for a long time from a spinal injury and was even on a wheelchair before he disappeared. He was old and what we know is that the family is planning to install a successor in secrecy,” explained the man who works as a cobbler in the area. The cobbler added that Jehovah has another family and even followers in neighbouring Uganda and it was likely his kinsmen had taken his body there for burial. Since his disappearance, several followers, who refer to him as the “living god” have been making regular visits to pitch camp at his home, which is the main shrine, to pray for their god’s recovery.