Residents of Nang’oma village in Matayos Constituency, Busia County, are in disbelief after a local woman boldly declared that she is Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ.
Judith Nafula declared her divine identity just days after being expelled from Lwanya Catholic Church, where she was accused of staging miracles and misleading the faithful.
Nafula, unfazed by her abrupt eviction, shared what she described as a holy encounter. According to her, a blinding light descended from the heavens, and a mighty voice followed, just like the biblical Moses and the burning bush.
“Light ilitoka juu ikashuka chini na sauti ikatoka katikati, ikasema mimi ni Christ, nimetumwa na baba, natafuta Mama Maria. Nikamjibu, mimi sijui Mama Maria, akaniambia ‘ni wewe, ni kitu ilikuwa imejificha na wakati umewadia uweze kujitambulisha,’” Nafula said while speaking to the media on Wednesday May 4, 2025.
Loosely translated as;
“Light came from above and descended, and a voice came from the midst of it, saying, ‘I am Christ, sent by the Father, I am looking for Mama Maria.’ I responded, ‘I don’t know Mama Maria,’ and he told me, ‘It is you, it was something that had been hidden, and the time has come for you to reveal yourself.’”
Nafula went on to describe spending two months on a nearby hill where she claims the moon would descend and reveal visions to her.
“Uyo mlima nililala kwa miezi miwili, nikiwa pale, muezi unashuka chini unanionyesha kila kitu. Ikifika asubui, ananiambia, ‘enda ambia watu Yesu wa Nazareth anapita,‘”she added.
Loosely translated as;
“That mountain, I slept there for two months. While I was there, the moon would come down and show me everything. When morning came, it would tell me, ‘Go and tell the people that Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.’”
Her husband, who now refers to himself as Joseph, also shared his account. He said the revelation came as a surprise, but soon, others confirmed it.
“Kutoka saa iyo mimi nilishtuka sana. Wakamwambia kuwa yeye ni Maria. Baada ya kumuongelesha wakaniambia mimi ni Joseph. Na Mungu ni wa ajabu, sijui watu walijua aje ati maombi huwa inaendelea apa. Nilishtukia tu watu wanakuja. Watu wanakuja kuombewa,” he explained.
Nafula’s sister-in-law supported the claims, stating that many people in the village believe in her. She said there are testimonies of healing and answered prayers.
“Kijiji chote wanamjua, na ni watu wengi wamepona. Wenye walikuwa hawazai, wakaanza kuzaa,” she said.
However, not everyone is convinced. Nafula mentioned that some villagers have raised concerns over her mental state, with a few accusing her husband of being involved in supernatural practices.
“Kuna watu walisema mimi ni wazimu wakati nilisema iyo kitu. Wengine wakasema bwana yangu alinunua majini akaniwekea,” Nafula said.
Self-proclaimed messiahs
In recent years, parts of Western Kenya, especially Bungoma County, have become known for strange religious movements led by self-declared messiahs. The most famous is Eliud Wekesa, popularly known as Jesus of Tongaren. He leads a group called the New Jerusalem sect and claims to have been anointed as Jesus in a vision back in 2009.
His followers treat him like a holy figure, calling him The Holy One, while his wife is referred to as The Queen. They follow strict religious practices, like unique dress codes and fasting, and believe that only a small number of people, 168,000 globally, will enter heaven.
Wekesa’s teachings are unusual. He said in a past event that Easter should be celebrated in July instead of April and claimed that only two people from Nairobi will make it to heaven. His teachings have raised concern, and in 2023, he was arrested on charges of cultism and radicalisation.
But the court released him due to a lack of evidence. Religious leaders in the area have publicly dismissed him as a fraud, but he remains active and has even joined hands with organisations like Amref to promote health programs in his village.
Other self-proclaimed religious leaders have also risen in the region. One of them was Jehovah Wanyonyi, who led the Lost Israelites Ministries and claimed to be God. He had a large following and promised healing powers. Even after he died in 2015, some of his followers still believe he will rise again.
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