A former Anglican priest, previously known as Rev Canon Peter Kinyanjui, has undergone a profound transformation, renouncing his 30-year commitment to Christianity and embracing the traditional beliefs of the Agikuyu people. Now adopting the name Thiongo wa Kinyanjui, he attributes this significant shift to a moment of revelation, likening it to the metaphorical journey to Damascus.
Kinyanjui embarked on his theological studies at St Paul’s United Theological College in 1990, later receiving ordination into the priesthood by Archbishop Manasses Kuria in 1993. His pastoral journey included serving at various locations across Kenya, with his final ecclesiastical engagement taking place in the United Kingdom at St John’s Parish Church of England.
In 2020, Kinyanjui publicly disavowed Christianity, urging members of the Agikuyu community to abandon what he perceived as a “foreign faith.” He asserted that Christianity, as he understood it through theological education and personal experience, did not align with his current spiritual beliefs.
One of Kinyanjui’s key contentions is Christianity’s purported neglect of the role that the living dead play in society, contrasting the reverence for deceased individuals in the Christian tradition with the Agikuyu concept of the living dead, known as ngomi. He criticizes the emphasis on saints in Christian liturgy, highlighting what he sees as a double standard in acknowledging and praying to deceased individuals from the white community.
In his advocacy for Agikuyu traditional worship, Kinyanjui employs a strategic approach, donning religious clothing to engage and captivate those he seeks to convert. He emphasizes that his adoption of traditional regalia is not ritualistic but rather a means to initiate conversations and garner attention.
The 57-year-old contends that he feels liberated from the perceived constraints of Christianity since embracing the Mwene Nyaga god. He identifies himself as a seer and medicine man, roles he claims to have suppressed in contemporary society due to potential societal backlash.
Kinyanjui acknowledges the challenges he faces, particularly from certain Kikuyu elders who view their entry into traditional strongholds as a threat. Despite misconceptions, he asserts that the gospel of Mwene Nyaga does not seek to undermine existing kinship structures but rather offers diverse talents, including leadership, priesthood, and wealth.
In reflecting on his turning point, Kinyanjui expresses dissatisfaction with what he perceives as the adulteration of the gospel by some priests in Kenya. He believes that this has paved the way for him and like-minded traditionalists to influence individuals seeking an alternative spiritual path.
