Pastor Kanyari laments the difficulty of changing Marion Naipei after she spent the whole night drinking and arrived late for church service. Later, Pastor Kanyari pauses preaching to welcome Prophetess Marion Naipei to church after coming late. The popular preacher expressed his frustration openly during a recent sermon at his Salvation and Healing Ministry in Nairobi.
Kanyari used a strong Swahili saying to describe the situation. He compared trying to reform Naipei to the challenging task of changing a wild pig from the forest. “Kubadilisha nguruwe wa msituni ni kazi ngumu sana,” he told the congregation.
He went on to say that Naipei had been out drinking all night long. At that moment she should have been sitting inside the church, but she had not yet shown up. His words carried a mix of disappointment and determination as he spoke about her ongoing struggles.
Marion Naipei gained attention earlier this year after some of her private videos leaked and went viral. She had a reputation for a wild lifestyle before she started attending Kanyari’s church.
The pastor took her under his guidance. He spoke publicly about helping her turn her life around and even had her serving in church roles like distributing anointing oil. Many saw it as a story of redemption. Naipei appeared in services looking more settled and joined in worship activities.
Yet old habits seem to die hard. Kanyari’s latest comments suggest the transformation has not been smooth. He admitted she stayed out late drinking on Saturday night.
By Sunday morning when the service was underway, she was still nowhere to be seen, though she arrived late. The preacher sounded weary but not ready to give up. He told his followers that some people take a lot of effort to change. Still, he vowed to keep working with her until she gets on the right path.
The remarks spread quickly online. Kenyans who follow church drama and celebrity news shared clips of Kanyari speaking. Some laughed at the wild pig comparison, feeling it was too harsh.
Naipei herself has not responded directly to the latest comments. She continues to appear at the church from time to time and posts about her journey.
Her presence there divided opinions from the start. Supporters praised Kanyari for opening his doors to someone with a troubled past. Critics wondered if the whole thing was more about gaining attention than genuine spiritual growth. The back and forth only grew louder after her night of drinking made headlines.
This episode fits into a bigger pattern in Nairobi’s church scene. Pastors often take in public figures who have made mistakes hoping to show the power of faith. Sometimes it works beautifully.
Other times the old life pulls harder than expected. Kanyari has built his ministry on bold preaching and dramatic testimonies. Helping Naipei seemed like another chance to demonstrate that no one is beyond reach. Now his own words reveal the challenges behind the scenes.
Many have family members or friends who try to leave behind drinking, partying or other habits but keep falling back. It raises questions about how much support someone needs and how patient leaders should be. Kanyari’s honesty in front of his congregation showed a human side. Others say he should focus on his core members instead of one high-profile case.
Naipei’s fans hope she finds the strength to stay on course. Kenyans will keep watching to see whether Naipei settles into her new life or if the pull of old ways proves too strong. For now the pastor continues his work mixing tough love with hope that even the hardest cases can turn around one day at a time.
