Thousands attend Eldoret prayer meeting

Head of the Repentance and Holiness Ministry David Owuor with little Wanjiru during a crusade in Eldoret on April 19, 2014.

Over 6,000 ushers and 1,000 police officers punctuated the second day of self-proclaimed prophet David Owuor’s “National Thanksgiving Meeting” at the Eldoret Sports Club, on Saturday.

Acting Uasin Gishu County police commander Nelson Taliti said police were keeping vigil as Dr Owuor ministered for followers from all over Kenya and from neighbouring countries.

They were driven to Eldoret in over 500 buses – and many more in private vehicles – while many more walked or used public transport.

“Tomorrow (today) there will be no standing space here because there are more buses coming,” Dr Owuor told the congregation.

People from South Korea and USA were spotted in the crowd, waving their countries’ miniature flags as they joined other worshippers from Dr Owuor’s Repentance and Holiness Ministry.

“This is what the people of Kenya want; they want the Lord!” he declared.

Dr Owuor’s “Train of the Lord” and “River of Healing” swept through the usually quiet – even during Easter – Eldoret.

The crusade, which started on Friday with the washing of the streets of the town, attracted a huge number of enterprising residents, who experienced brisk Easter business selling foodstuff and second-hand clothes.

OPPRESSED FAITHFUL

At the prayer meeting, Dr Owuor castigated immorality in present-day society, and condemned Christian leaders who he said oppress their faithful. He also urged leaders across the world to “unite and work together in solidarity.”

The meeting was attended by, among others, Kericho County Governor Paul Chepkwony, Uasin Gishu County Deputy Governor Daniel Chemno, Nandi County Women Representative Zipporah Kering’ and Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi.

Ms Annette Ambaisi, a worshipper who spoke to the Sunday Nation, said she had travelled from Nairobi’s Shauri Moyo Estate. “I have witnessed the glory of God through the prophet’s teachings,” she said.

Most of the worshippers who could not afford hotel accommodation rates camped in the cold as they waited for Dr Owuor.

Elsewhere, Mombasa residents were on Saturday treated to a rare free shoe cleaning exercise by Christians from various churches in the region as part of Easter celebrations.

The Christian faithful of the Mombasa Church Forum (MCF), who were joined by worshippers of the Trinity Chapel, called out to pedestrians, drivers and other people walking past Digo Road, where they set up with their tools to offer a free “shoe clinic”.

The locals, mainly Muslims, were taken aback and said they had been moved by the kind gesture extended by the group.

“My friend and neighbour who is a Christian has offered to clean my shoes for free. That they have put aside religious, tribal and other differences means a lot,” said Ahmed Hamza, a resident of Likoni.

Another resident, Mohammed Abdulkarim, said: “This is a wonderful idea during the Easter period, especially coming from our Christian brothers. Love, peace and harmony is important and it is what we all want.”

MCF Secretary Stanley Prince said they came up with the shoe-cleaning exercise as a demonstration of the Christian teachings of love and brotherhood during the Easter period.

“We are here to clean the shoes of everyone irrespective of their religion, just as Jesus Christ showed love without choosing,” Mr Prince said.

“It is a show of our love to our neighbours, particularly now when there has been so much animosity between Christians and Muslims over terrorist teachings.”

Meanwhile, security forces in Mombasa continued their thorough check-ups of vehicles and pedestrians for the second day as Operation Usalama Watch entered its second week.

There were huge traffic jams extending as far as the North Coast from the Kongowea, Kisauni and Nyali junction as every motorist and cyclist was ordered to produce their national identification documents by the hawk-eyed traffic police officers.

At the Buxton junction heading to Nyali Bridge, there was yet another road block targeting public service vehicles from town and the busy Mwembe Tayari bus stages.