Families at pains to trace missing kin from Rongo's secretive church

Families whose loved ones are still missing after reportedly joining the controversial St Joseph Missions of Messiah in Africa Church in Migori were on Wednesday at pains as they struggle to trace them.

Although some church followers were arrested by police during a raid in the church’s premises, a number of families claim they were yet to trace their relatives.

This comes as The Standard got rare access to the church’s compound, now declared a no-go zone. Before Sunday’s raid, the church operated in secrecy and very few people were allowed in.

At the entrance, visitors are welcomed by a row of flags believed to represent Simeo Ondetto, Mama Maria, and various saints, who reportedly founded the church. At the centre stands a large, housed cross, ornately decorated.

The compound also serves as a residential area for its followers. Unlike conventional Christian congregations, members of this sect do not return home after worship. They live permanently within the compound.

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According to lawyer Bernard Acholla, the church has existed since the 1970s. “For some members, it’s the only life they have ever known,” he said. The followers maintain a communal lifestyle within the church grounds. They cook, farm vegetables and rear livestock. A number of cows were seen feeding within the compound. Members are also buried here, raising concerns about potential secret burials.

Two weeks ago, a GSU officer believed to be a member of the church was buried under unclear circumstances, sparking public outrage and prompting police intervention.

The church’s leader who identifies herself as Halleluhya has denied accusations of controversial teachings or secretive practices. “We follow both God’s law and the laws of the land,” she stated. “We never bury our members without informing the family. We always obtain burial permits and report all deaths to area assistant chief,” she said.

The compound houses several shrines where members worship. One structure has three separate rooms, each with an altar. The first room features an image of Simeo Ondetto, the second houses an image of Mother Linta Matakatifu, and the third honours a son of the founders, who also died years ago.

Each room contains candles, crosses, and images of saints, each with distinct colours. Worshippers must remove their shoes before entering, an act rooted in their belief that God dwells among them. Images of Simeo Ondetto and Mama Maria are visible throughout the compound, while images of Jesus and other saints are placed beneath their altars.

The events of April 21 where police rescued 57 people after discovering two lifeless bodies within its premises, saw families rush to Rongo police station searching for their loved ones after years of separation.

Among them was John Okello, a resident of Rongo town, whose ex-wife joined the church in 2010. Okello narrates how his wife insisted that she was going to live at the church.

“My wife just woke up one morning and decided she was going to live in that church. I tried stopping her but she instead filed for divorce and took two of my children,” Okello narrated.

Okello said he could not worship at a church where children were born and were not being taken to hospital. His first daughter also followed her mother to the church after secondary education. He later realised that his daughter died when she was over 20 years old and was buried within the church premises.

Similarly, Isaac Nyachieo, whose brother Elly Odoyo, 52, died at the church hoped they would reunite with his brother’s children. “Our wish is to reunite with my brother’s children. We want to take them home. There they have everything they could need including their father’s land,” Nyachieo said.

On Sunday, the family had gone to the church to take their kin’s body before being blocked by worshippers. Odoyo’s daughter who had called the family following her father’s request before his demise had expressed her disappointment saying she ought to have been consulted before they could forcibly take her father’s body away. 

George Adongo, another resident, said they are searching for his elder sister, a staunch member.

Adongo says it has been 20 years since they last saw her. In 2005, his parents and sisters left home to join the church, reportedly in search of healing. He never saw them again.

“Since 2005, my sisters have been living at the Melkio Joseph Mission Messiah Church Africa. My mother died under unclear circumstances a few years later,” he added.