Jehovah Wanyonyi’s followers now sacrifice beer, wheat flour to their ‘god’
Mr Eliabu Masinde offering prayer at the Lost Israelites sect's shrine.
Hard economic times, coupled with the mysterious disappearance of their "god", Jehovah Wanyonyi, five years ago has pushed the followers of the Lost Israelites sect to offer a sacrifice of wheat flour mixed with margarine and alcohol instead of their usual animal offering at their shrine.
The sect’s chief priest, Eliabu Masinde, said they have been forced to embrace cheap burnt offerings involving use of alcohol and wheat flour to appease their god.
Speaking during a service at the headquarters of the sect in Chemororoch village along the boundary of Uasin Gishu and Kakamega counties, Mr Masinde,70, said the new form of offerings has now become their way of worship.
“The sacrifice that we are offering at our alter is per the direction of Jehovah Wanyonyi to us through prophet Moses. We are using wheat flour and alcohol drinks due to hard economic times that our sect is facing,” said Mr Masinde
He said the offering of one of the popular beer brands as a sacrifice should not be seen as an ungodly act, claiming that it is scriptural according to their bible.
Followers of Jehovah Wanyonyi's Lost Israelites sect in prayer during a sacrifice offering.
Covid-19
He said the offering is in tandem with biblical teachings and has not been occasioned by the current global Covid-19 pandemic. The sect believes that the pandemic is a punishment from God targeting evil doers.
Mr Masinde, the chief priest in charge of the altar used at the shrine, said that the sacrifice — which involves the Tusker beer brand — has a sweet smelling aroma that pleases their 'god'.
During the ceremony, Mr Masinde pours oil around the flour before setting it ablaze at their shrine which is protected with cemented wire mesh which surrounds the altar.
The elderly refuted claims that the effects of Covid-19 have led to their current way of sacrificing flour and beer to their god.
“Our members are holy people who obey the word of God and cannot be attacked by the coronavirus. The little sacrifice that we are offering to our god has no relationship with current challenges emanating from Covid-19,” said Mr Masinde.
Appeal for help
Ironically, he appealed to well-wishers to support their members meet requirements for making the sacrifices as well as building a modern place of worship.
“Just like any other church in Kenya, we call upon our leaders to support us the way they are supporting others through harambees and also buy for us animals to offer as a sacrifice,” said Mr Masinde.
Their spiritual leader, Jehovah Wanyonyi, disappeared mysteriously five years ago and is believed to have died and buried secretly.
But the question of his whereabouts angers the chief priest.
“Stop nagging me about where Jehovah is. We have nothing new to tell you at the moment. All we know is that Jehovah Wanyonyi is alive and living at a serene place and soon he will come back to take us to his holy place,” said an agitated Mzee Masinde.
The sect’s followers believe their “messiah” might have gone to visit one of his many wives and will return to his faithful.
