A video showcasing an Akorino preacher, Danson Gichuhi, popularly known as Bishop Johana, performing a controversial healing ritual has gone viral, sparking widespread debate and concern.
The footage, which features the preacher applying ointment on a female congregant's stomach and her genital areas as she lies on her back, has raised eyebrows and led to accusations of inappropriate conduct.
The preacher, however, has come forward to address the accusations head-on, offering his explanation for the actions depicted in the video.
In an interview with Kururia TV, Bishop Johana defended his method of deliverance, stating that the woman in question, identified only as Wanjiru, had sought his divine intervention to resolve her marital woes.
According to the Bishop, Wanjiru's husband had abandoned her and their three children for another woman, prompting her to travel from Nairobi to seek his help.
"When she came, I saw she was troubled. I told her the name of the woman her husband had left her for. She is called Carol. She asked me what to do," Bishop Johana explained.
He further elaborated on his process, saying, "So when you saw me on the video, I was doing deliverance. I was casting out evil spirits from the woman, and they spoke to me and told me they are from Carol, and Carol had gone to Uganda for witchcraft to attract married men."
The Bishop insists that his intentions were purely to aid Wanjiru in her healing journey, emphasising the necessity of applying anointing oil directly to the affected area.
"You have to apply the anointing oil where the pain is, not on the face, for example. That woman told me her problem was in the stomach area, and that's why I was rubbing oil on her stomach. I had no bad intentions," he stated.
Despite the backlash, Bishop Johana maintains that his method is effective and that he has performed similar deliverances for many of his followers without issue.
He also highlighted his personal life, noting that he is a married man and a father, and works closely with his wife in his ministry.
"I have a wife, I have children, and I even work with my wife. She is a great woman of God," he affirmed.
Addressing his critics, the Bishop suggested that those condemning his actions are his adversaries, unable to comprehend the spiritual significance of his work.
"When a follower comes for deliverance, I must touch them everywhere without any bad intentions. Those ones who go to clubs even go naked and nobody says anything about it, but when a man of God does something to help someone, that woman told me she is now alright," he said.
The incident has ignited a broader conversation about the practices of spiritual leaders and the boundaries of religious healing rituals.