Five die at Owuor ‘healing’ rally
Five people died at Kaptembwa Grounds in Nakuru on Thursday during a prayer meeting by Evangelist David Owuor.
Nakuru Divisional Police Commander Benard Kioko said the sick people had been taken to the grounds where dozens claimed to have been healed after listening to Dr Owuor’s sermons.
Mr Kioko said bedridden patients were taken to the crusade, some with medical notes. Many left hospitals against their doctors’ advice.
“I can confirm that they died at the grounds and they were very sick. We have seen documents that show some had been in hospital for months,” he said.
The officer, however, refused to disclose the identity of the dead.
In spite of bodies being placed in police vehicles in the presence of Dr Owuor’s followers, thousands still arrived at the grounds in matatus, private vehicles and on foot.
MIRACLES
Dr Owuor took time to parade a team of doctors he said had confirmed his miracles.
The experts were led by Egerton University lecturer Catherine Wangui who has worked as a medical doctor for 36 years, rising to the position of deputy director of Medical Services.
Others were Comprehensive Care Clinic head Torome Kochei and HIV specialist and senior assistant director of Medical Services with 18 years’ experience Zakary Kaseboi.
“These top doctors have come out and told us that God has healed the terminally sick,” said Dr Owuor.
He added that Kenya had witnessed healing and anointing at the grounds, saying time had come for people to turn to God with honesty and truth.
Dr Wangui, who dedicates her life to the evangelist’s ministry, told the excited crowd that medical experts were unable to explain how some of the patients’ life-threatening ailments were cured.
She said medics could only describe what Dr Owour did as “awesome, historic, stunning and unbelievable”.
GOD BRINGS HEALING
Dr Kochei said while he had helplessly watched patients die under his care from 2003 to 2010, many were healed when Dr Owuor came to the scene.
He said he had confirmed about 100 such cases.
“We stand here as experts to tell you that the Man of God brings healing to patients. Our work is to confirm first as we cannot afford to make a mistake on diagnosis and thorough laboratory testing before putting a patient on lifelong drug therapy,” said Dr Wangui.
Dr Kochei produced several files showing treatment notes and lab tests of HIV patients whom he said had been cured after attending Dr Owuor’s meetings or listened to sermons on radio or TV.