Pastor Victor Kanyari, the controversial founder and overseer of Salvation Healing Ministry, conducted a second successful service on Sunday, January 14, 2024, after burying his sister, Starlet Wahu, who was murdered at an Airbnb in South B1.
The man of God invited congregants with problems to the pulpit for healing and deliverance, but it came with a price. Kanyari gave the congregants KSh 1,000 each and made fun of them, claiming despite them falling down, they held the cash tight.
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“Look at these people, they are so desperate for healing, but they don’t want to let go of their money. Even when they fall down, they still hold the money. They are so greedy and selfish,” Kanyari said as he slapped a female congregant who was seeking deliverance.
Kanyari also claimed that the woman was lazy and did not like working. He said that she was looking for a shortcut to success and prosperity. He told her to go and work hard and stop depending on miracles.
“You are lazy, you don’t like working. You are always looking for miracles and handouts. Go and work hard and stop wasting your time here. God helps those who help themselves,” Kanyari said.
The congregants, who seemed to be under the influence of Kanyari’s charisma and manipulation, did not protest or question his actions. They continued to praise and worship him, calling him a prophet and a man of God.
Kanyari, who was exposed by Jicho Pevu in 2014 as a fake and twisted con-artist who was preying on the naivety of his followers for financial gain2, returned to the limelight in 2019 after a brief absence from controversies3.
He established his church and began preaching after being converted again in 20083. He has been accused of using dubious methods and tricks to perform fake miracles and healings, such as using potassium permanganate to turn water into blood and using actors to pretend to be sick and cured.
He has also been accused of exploiting his followers by asking them to send him money through mobile money transfer services, such as M-Pesa, in exchange for blessings and prayers. He allegedly asked them to send him KSh 310, which he claimed was a biblical number that represented the blood of Jesus2.
Kanyari’s sister, Starlet Wahu, who was also a socialite and a singer, was murdered by her boyfriend, John Njuguna, on Thursday, January 11, 2024, at an Airbnb in South B. Njuguna stabbed her several times in the chest and fled the scene. He was later arrested by the police and confessed to the crime1.
Kanyari said that he did not want people to reach out to him, especially the media, after his sister’s death. He instead decided to raise all the money for his sister’s burial by himself. He said that he reversed all the contributions that had been sent to him for Starlet’s send-off1.
He also said that he wanted to bury his sister quickly and privately, without any publicity or drama. He said that he organized everything for her sister’s burial and laid her to rest on Saturday, January 13, 2024, with only 20 close relatives attending1.
“I didn’t want the media to bother me. People were saying Kanyari, sister of Kanyari, I knew they would trouble me. I told my mother, since she is dead and won’t resurrect, let’s bury her. I raised all the money and handled everything. I didn’t want any shame or any contribution,” Kanyari said.
The motive behind the murder of Starlet remains a mystery as police continue to conduct investigations. Njuguna claimed that they fought after a disagreement, but the police suspect that there is more to the story. They are pursuing new leads and statements from witnesses1.
