There is a new form of business fast coming up and thriving in the Kisumu slums, the church business.
More and more churches are emerging with new ones erected at a fast rate and in most cases next to the other one.
One of the main reasons for the mushrooming of churches is for financial gains, since most of them have mastered the art of ‘eating’ from the sheep.
A large number of the people in the slums are illiterate and hopeless and would part with anything to be blessed, plus the preachers know how to deliver Biblical messages that make them opens their pockets.
Once there is a fallout in the church which in most cases emerge as a result of leadership wrangles and church positions, one shifts and starts their own church which now becomes a competition.
A cross-check by this writer noted more than 10 churches that were erected last year in Manyatta slums.
Most of these churches organized crusades where the locals had to part with something to be blessed.
The art of competition has been mastered with use of ‘big speakers’. The bigger the speaker you own, the bigger your voice and the better your chances of shutting off your 'neighbor'.
The locals are now becoming confused as churches now thrive on loyalty and not faith.
Here is what the area residents had to say regarding the churches;
“Sometimes you don’t want to be seen at another person’s church especially if they are not your kin or friends,” Daniel Osoro opined.
"We are now almost confused for each and every day new churches arise with different names. One declares themselves a preacher and erects their church and start wooing customers,” said Patrick Otieno.
“They have mastered the art of hawking for customers and begging people to attend to their churches. Some of them persuade you until you become confused if they are really men of God or have other intentions,” noted Simon Wensey.
One of the church ushers who opted for anonymity noted that the churches were setup for monetary purposes, and are advised to find as many followers as possible.