Jehovah Wanyonyi followers search for his grave in Bungoma, Uganda

Nangili residents at the home of Jehovah Wanyonyi to get news of his whereabouts Photo/Mathews Ndanyi

August 11, 2015

BY MATHEWS NDANYI

      

Followers of 'living god' Jehovah Wanyonyi made frantic efforts to find his burial site on Tuesday, following confirmation that he died on July 18.

Senior sect member John Kitavi said they have information that Wanyonyi may have been buried at a secret location in Bungoma or eastern Uganda where he had followers.

“We have sent teams to search for the grave in the two areas so that we can put to rest reports that he is dead or alive,” Kitavi told the Star.

Reports indicate that the self-proclaimed god's sons have kept his grave's location a secret to prevent a split in the sect said to have 200,000 followers in Western Kenya and parts of Uganda.

Nelson Wanyonyi, said to have been close to his father, declined to discuss the matter.

The leader of the cult-like 'Lost Israelites of Kenya' died of malaria at his home, said Uasin Gishu deputy county commissioner Christopher Wanjau.

Wanjau said Wanyonyi's family asked for a letter allowing them to move the body to Kitale, which was issued by Chief Daniel Busienei

He said the body was taken to Cheranganyi Nursing home in Kitale but was not buried at the leader's home, near the border between Uasin Gishu and Kakamega counties.

Officials at the hospital refused to give information and referred journalists back to Wanyonyi's family.

Busienei, who had confirmed Wanyonyi's death, also refused to comment saying the family had the information.

Hundreds of followers of the spiritual leader, who died at 81, have been camping at his Nangili home, which they call a shrine, demanding to know his whereabouts.

Most of them believed he was a living god and denied reports that he is dead; they said he cannot die when reports of his demise emerged in July.

Sources in the family and followers said shrine leader Eliab Masinde may take over the group if Wanyonyi's burial is confirmed.

Confident that Wanyonyi is not dead and will return, Masinde continues to take care of his shrine.

“I can assure that he is not dead. I would have known by now,” he said.

Wanyonyi’s followers say he had 70 wives, 500 children and more than 1,000 grandchildren.

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