Well-known Kenyan preacher Pastor James Ng’ang’a, popularly referred to as “Commander,” has stirred online conversations after a video surfaced showing him giving money to a female church member so she could go fix her hair — and then instructing her to leave the service to do so.
The video, which has gone viral on social media, shows a woman wearing a purple t-shirt approaching Pastor Ng’ang’a during a church gathering.
Upon noticing the untidy state of her hair, Pastor Ng’ang’a lightly touches it and comments on how unkempt it looks. In a gesture that many described as both surprising and thoughtful, he pulls out several KSh 1,000 notes from his pocket and tells her:
“Come over here and take this. Go get your hair done. Can you do it now or in the morning? It looks terrible. You don’t even have oil. It’s really bad. Fix your hair and have a good rest.
Then return tomorrow. Are the salons still open? Share your number and leave now before they close. Come back tomorrow looking good.”
The woman becomes visibly emotional, shedding tears before leaving to have her hair styled. The clip has drawn a wide range of reactions online — some people commended the pastor’s direct but kind gesture, while others raised concerns about his emphasis on physical appearance.
Online users responded with a mix of humor and support. A few joked that they might consider fixing their hair just to impress Pastor Ng’ang’a, while others praised him for caring enough to boost his congregants’ confidence and wellbeing.
This incident is not the first time Pastor Ng’ang’a has voiced his opinions on women’s hairstyles during his sermons. In a past service, he advised a woman whose husband had left her to change
