Pastor Ezekiel: Funds used to sponsor needy students come from tithes, offerings

 

Embattled Pastor Ezekiel Odero has set the record straight on where he sources funds to undertake his developmental projects.

While appearing before the Senate Ad Hoc Committee at Parliament buildings on Friday, October 13, 2023, the New Life Prayer Centre and Church pastor accompanied by his lawyers Danstan Omari and Cliff Ombeta clarified that all funding channelled towards needy students came from offerings and tithes.

The pastor made it clear that the church which has a capacity of 45,000 people contributes generously without any form of coercion.

"Hakuna njia yoyote tunapata pesa kutoka kwa mtu ambaye anatuletea pesa kwa njia yoyote. I can't remember kama nimechukua pesa kwa mkono wa mtu kanisani mavueni and I always tell congregants, unajua pahali madhabao iko weka sadaka hapo usiniletee," he stated.

This loosely translates to:

"There is no other way we get money from anyone in any other way, I can't remember any time I took money from a congregant at my church. I always tell them to present their offerings and tithes at the altar,"

According to the pastor, the funds contributed by the congregants have also enabled the church to build one of the most modern international schools in the country and the only Olympic swimming pool in the coastal region.

"We have one of the most modern IT labs, tuko na labs ambazo huenda haziko kwa university zetu, the best hotels among other things all this comes from pesa ya washirika," he said.

While quoting the book of Deuteronomy, the embattled pastor informed the senate that he believed that tithe and offerings should be used to help the needy and the poor.

He also gave an instance of how his church once embarked on a mission to Turkana where they donated food to the residents affected by pangs of hunger during the drought season.

"Our ideology is that whatever we get from the chance it is important that it helps the community. We have tried since the beginning and I can give prove. I don't believe that offertory is meant to help the pastor alone. It should help the needy as it is written in the book of Deuteronomy 14," he stated.

Ezekiel also confirmed to the senate that his ministry is currently funding over 100 students through scholarships funded by the church.     BY K24 NEWS