Chaos erupted in the bustling Kayole estate of Nairobi on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, when an American preacher and his followers were chased and attacked by an angry mob for proclaiming that Jesus Christ was a Black man.
The dramatic scene unfolded during a street crusade, leaving several members of the religious group injured and forcing police to intervene with tear gas to disperse the crowd.
The preacher, identified as Bishop Nathanyel of the Israel United in Christ Church, a U.S.-based organization, had traveled to Kenya alongside Kenyan counterparts to spread their message.
Clad in distinctive purple T-shirts, the group took to the streets of Kayole, a densely populated suburb, to preach their controversial doctrine.
According to witnesses, tensions escalated when the preacher asserted that Jesus Christ shared the same racial identity as Black Africans, a claim that incited outrage among some residents.
“They were shouting that Jesus was Black, and the crowd just lost it,” said James Otieno, a local shopkeeper who witnessed the incident.
“People started yelling, ‘No way, Jesus was white!’ and then stones started flying.”
Video footage circulating online shows the preachers scrambling for safety as a barrage of rocks rained down on them. One member of the group was struck in the face, sustaining visible injuries.
“This is one of our brothers who was hit with a stone for preaching the word of God, for saying Jesus is like us, Black,” a fellow preacher lamented in a recorded statement, pointing to the wounded man.
The group’s leader, Bishop Nathanyel, later addressed the incident, accusing the attackers of self-hatred rooted in colonial influences.
“They got so mad, throwing rocks. Why? Because a lot of you in Kenya hate yourselves, hate the way you look, and hate anything Black,” he said passionately. “It upsets your European colonizers’ narrative.”
The Israel United in Christ Church, founded in 2003, is known for its teachings that Black, Hispanic, and Native American people are the true descendants of the biblical Israelites.
These doctrines have long sparked debate and drawn criticism from mainstream Christian groups, with some labeling the organization as extremist.
Tuesday’s clash in Kayole marks the latest in a series of confrontations tied to their provocative street preaching.
As the situation spiraled out of control, police arrived on the scene, deploying tear gas to quell the unrest.
The preachers were forced to abandon their crusade and flee, while local religious leaders condemned the violence. “We were just sharing the word of God,” said a Kenyan member of the group. “This attack is an affront to our faith.”
Residents, however, defended their reaction, with some arguing that the preachers’ message was disrespectful to widely held beliefs. “They can’t come here and change what we know about Jesus,” said Mary Wanjiku, a Kayole resident. “This is not America.”
The incident has reignited discussions about race, religion, and colonial legacies in Kenya, with opinions sharply divided.
This is not the first time an American preacher has stirred controversy in Kenya. In 2019, Michael Job, an evangelist resembling traditional depictions of Jesus, faced accusations of impersonation during a visit, though he denied the claims.
Drama in Kenya,Kayole as American Preacher is Chased Like a Burukenge for Preaching that Jesus Christ was a BLACK Man! pic.twitter.com/aF8F3lAfCM
— Mutembei TV (@MutembeiTV) April 1, 2025