Cult Convert Martyred

On Sunday, June 4, Simon Ndabi Kamore had stood near a bus stop on Race Course Street in Nairobi, preaching to those around him about his faith in Jesus Christ. Three days later, early morning commuters were shocked to find his bloody head on the pavement at the same location. It is believed that Kamore was beheaded by Mungiki adherents because he had disowned the sect and converted to Christianity. The whereabouts of the rest of his body is unknown.

Mungiki is an illegal Kikuyu cult that poses as a traditional religious group. The Kikuyu is the largest tribe in Kenya, numbering around 6.8 million. Mungiki claims that its primary purpose is to unite the Kikuyu people, revive the spirit of the Mau Mau independence fighters who fought the British in the 1950s, and liberate Kenyans from all that they perceive to be Western influence and oppression, including Christianity. One of its leaders, Maian Njenga, claims he had a vision from God (Ngai) commanding him to unite the Kikuyu and fight foreign ideologies. He is now in hiding, together with his co-leader Ndura Waruinge. The sect is highly secretive, forcing its adherents to swear unusual oaths and threatening death to anyone who leaves their ranks. In the last six months, fourteen known defectors have either been killed or have mysteriously disappeared.

Mungiki members have been involved in various anti-social acts such as publicly stripping women wearing Western clothing they deem to be inappropriate, forcibly imposing female circumcision, and raiding police stations to free their own members who are in police custody. Recently, the sect has started using AK-47 assault rifles in their actions instead of clubs, machete and swords. Mungiki leaders briefly tried to align the movement with Islam, but Islamic leaders in Kenya disowned the group. To hear a BBC audio news report, click here.

Pray for the family of Simon Ndabi Kamore. Pray for members of the Mungiki sect who desire to leave this dangerous group. Pray for those who have come to faith in Christ, that they would know God's presence and strength. Pray for Kenyan authorities, especially since it is known that Kikuyu police officers are sometimes sympathetic to the goals of the Mungiki cult. For more information about Mungiki, click here.

  • Country Information

    Kenya map & flagPopulation
    57,052,004 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Kikuyu (17.1), Luhya (14.3), Kalenjin (13.4), Luo (10.7), Kamba (9.8), Somali (5.8), Kisii (5.7), Mijikenda (5.2), Meru (4.2), Maasai (2.5), Turkana (2.1), other (9.2)

    Religions (%)
    Christian (85.5) (Protestant 33.4%, Catholic 20.6%, Evangelical 20.4% other 11.1%), Muslim (10.9), Other (1.8), None (1.6)

    Government type
    Presidential republic

    Leader
    President William Ruto (2022)

    Legal system
    Mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law; judicial review in a new Supreme Court established pursuant to the new constitution

    Source: CIA World Factbook

  • Pray for Kenya

    Pray that Somali refugees within Kenya will be open to the gospel. Ask the Lord to encourage believers to be unified in heart and purpose as they serve converts from Islam. Pray that churches in the northeastern region will remain strong as they face Islamist attacks.

Kenya News

  • Five Church Buildings Burned
    Worship in Kenya
    Pray that Christians in Kenya will continue
    to faithfully proclaim the Gospel.

    Five church buildings were destroyed by fire in the town of Otamba, Kisii County, between January 21st and 26th, causing great concern among the residents of the community. While ten people were arrested shortly afterwards, the motive behind the attacks is unknown at this point.

  • Christians Ordered to Leave Area
    al-Shabaab - Photo: Voice of America www.voanews.com
    Photo: Voice of America

    On February 23rd, an audio recording was released by al-Shabaab demanding that all non-local Christians leave three provinces in northeastern Kenya. In the 25-minute clip, a spokesman for the Somalia-based Islamic terrorists urged any ethnic Somalis in the area to evict non-Muslims. The message claimed that many Muslims in the area were unemployed, so they should be given the jobs held by the non-Muslims.

  • Christian Teachers Killed
    Al-Shabaab militants
    Al-Shabaab rebels pose an ongoing threat to
    many living close to the Somali border.
    Photo: Voice of America

    Three Christian teachers were killed when suspected Al-Shabaab terrorists attacked the town of Kamuthe in eastern Kenya during the early morning of January 13th. The teachers of a residential school were asleep in their staff housing when their room was raided. According to a surviving teacher who fled out the window, the local Somali Muslim teachers were separated from the non-locals, whom they presumed were Christians. One of the attackers reportedly said, "We cannot allow infidels to teach our children," and then the three Christian men were shot to death.

  • Pastor Beaten Unconscious
    A street in Garissa - Photo: Wikimedia/Adam H T Geelle
    Garissa, Kenya
    Photo: Wikimedia/Adam H T Geelle (cc)

    An underground pastor in eastern Kenya, near the Somali border, was severely beaten on the night of March 8th. Muslim militants assaulted him with wooden clubs, leaving him unconscious and with a broken leg, bruises and other injuries.

    Pastor Abdul (surname withheld for security reasons) is a 30-year-old father of three. He serves as pastor to an underground church consisting of 30 former Muslims who, for safety, meet in small groups on varying days. He was on his way home after a prayer gathering on the outskirts of Garissa when several Somali Muslims attacked him. Most ethnic Somalis believe that all people of their nationality must adhere to Islam.