Evening beer, machete and rubble: Inside the Kisii Shrine owner’s desperate battle for privacy
It had begun quietly. Then it grew. For days, pilgrims had been trickling into Charles Onsombi’s compound in Emenwa, Bogichoncho village, Nyamache, drawn by claims that an image resembling the Virgin Mary had appeared inside one of the houses. What began as whispers among villagers was quickly becoming something bigger — a pilgrimage site. Then [...] The post Evening beer, machete and rubble:…
Charles Onsombi's compound in Emenwa, Bogichoncho village, Nyamache, became the site of a disputed shrine after pilgrims claimed to have seen an apparition resembling the Virgin Mary inside one of his houses. The incident escalated when unruly boda boda riders damaged the house where the apparition was said to have appeared, tipping Onsombi to dismantle the structure.
He hired a guard with a machete to keep pilgrims away, despite their desire to pray and see the site. The demolition of the house did not quell the mystery, as pilgrims continued to arrive from Nairobi and Kisumu, frustrated that their journey had ended without them being able to experience what they believed to be sacred. Some pilgrims arrived injured during a confrontation with the guards, while others collected pieces of dry mud from the demolished structure, convinced it still held spiritual significance.
For Onsombi, the battle was about his privacy and reclaiming his private home, while for the pilgrims, Emenwa had transformed into a place of faith, attracting numerous visitors and businesses.
Written by urgent.news from KahawaTungu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
