Pastor Ng’ang’a arrested over ‘consequences’ threats to journalist Linus Kaikai

Controversial Neno Evangelism pastor James Ng’ang’a was on Sunday night arrested by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over threats he allegedly made to Citizen TV journalist Linus Kaikai.

The pastor was arrested after Mr. Kaikai, the Director, Strategy & Innovation at Royal Media Services, filed a complaint with police over the “consequences” threat from Mr. Ng’ang’a who will be arraigned in court later in the day.

In a viral video released last week, the pastor, dressed in military-like fatigue and calling himself a “Chief General Commander” threatened unexplained “consequences” believed to be directed at Mr. Kaikai.

“Separate preaching na hii sarakasi za news anchor, nakwambia tu kijana. I am telling you like a Chief General Commander, you have to stop that, if you don’t stop you will face the consequences…” said Pastor Ng’ang’a.

Two weeks ago, Mr. Kaikai, who is a panelist in one of the fastest growing news shows in the country, News Gang, went viral with his take seeking to regulate pastors he referred to as “spiritual fraudsters” and are profiting off unsuspecting Kenyans.

“The people behind these so called churches have gone rogue in the name of Jesus, in the name of God,” Mr. Kaikai famously quipped in the segment that went viral and stirred heated debate.

Without naming names, Mr. Kaikai listed few instances when pastors have made the news for conning members of their churches and minting millions off illegal schemes.

“We are dealing with thieves not men of God. These are cold blooded evangelical vampires living off the blood of their flock in the name of Jesus. They are conmen who must have their date with our police and our law courts. Some of them preach prosperity but only they profit,” said Mr. Kaikai.

“…To these characters, Sunday, a day ordained as the Lord’s day of rest and worship has become the most profitable day on the trading floor. Offerings flow like a mighty river and onward into their private accounts in the Lord’s name.”

Mr. Kaikai proposed going the Rwanda route where President Paul Kagame ordered for the shutting down of over 6,000 churches that did not meet set standards.

One of those requirements, Kaikai said, was that pastors must have a theology degree before they start own churches.

“Rwanda set the pace, Kenya should follow suit. Preachers must be accountable to a being other than God and that is the law and fellow human beings…,” he said.

Without also mentioning Mr. Kaikai’s name but referring to a “news anchor” who had proposed that every pastor must obtain a degree, Pastor Ng’ang’a said he would not get one adding; “Wee kijana wachana na mambo zako, Na kama umeingia laini ya Pastor Ng’ang’a, my friend you will face the consequences, I can’t hide you but you can hide me, wewe utakimbia tu…”

The Pastor continued; “Lakini kusema kwamba Katiba itatengenezwa, wahubiri ambao hawajui kusoma, hawana degree, wakatazwe kuhibiri kama Rwanda, na wewe news anchor unaongea hivyo kwa nini? Watu hawahitaji kusoma ndio wajue Mungu, wanahitaji kuamini… Ufunge mdomo yako…”