Pastor Ezekiel Odero was born in 1972 on Ngodhe Island, off Rusinga Island in Lake Victoria, Homa Bay County, Kenya. Raised in poverty, he often worked as a fisherman to help support his family during his childhood schooling years.
Education & Background
Primary School: Attended Ngodhe Island Primary School, scoring 210/700 in his first KCPE attempt (1994). After relocating to Seme, Kisumu, he repeated at Yeye Primary School, improving to 398/700.
High School: Joined Miwani High School (1997), scoring a C in KCSE (2000).
College Dropout & Early Struggles
He enrolled at Mombasa Polytechnic (now the Technical University of Mombasa) for a Diploma in Chemical Processing Technology but dropped out in 2006 due to financial constraints
Ministry & Church
Ezekiel began his ministerial journey in Mombasa, working at Maximum Miracle Centre under Bishop Pius Muiru as a praise-and‑worship teacher and choir leader. After some years, he and his wife Sarah founded the New Life Prayer Centre, initially in Shanzu, Mombasa.
Founding New Life Prayer Centre
In 2006, he met Pastor Sarah Wanzu, and together they started New Life Prayer Centre in Shanzu, Mombasa. The church later moved to Mavueni, Kilifi, expanding to a 65-acre complex with:
- A 45,000-seat mega-church
- A four-story staff residential building
- An international school, a university (planned), a supermarket, a petrol station, and a hospital.
Wife & Family
His wife, Pastor Sarah Odero, met Ezekiel in Mombasa while he worked as a mason. Despite opposition due to her lack of formal schooling—Sarah reportedly dropped out during primary school—they married (with a modest bride price) and have been together for over 13 years. The couple has three children: two biological and one adopted son whose mother passed away at childbirth. They reside in a family compound within the church estate in Mavueni.
Businesses & Ventures
Odero built his financial base mainly through church offerings, merchandise like handkerchiefs, holy water, anointing oil, property, and real-estate investments. As revealed to Kenyan Senate investigators, New Life Church owns assets including an international school with modern labs and an Olympic‑standard swimming pool, a hotel, a dam supplying water to Kilifi residents, a transportation fleet, and residential infrastructure—all funded through church sources. Odero insists that personal ventures like poultry and farming fund his family’s needs—not church money.
Estimated Net Worth
Multiple media outlets place Odero’s net worth in the range of KSh 700 million to over KSh 1 billion. Google estimates exceed KSh 1 billion; others rank him among Kenya’s top 5–10 richest pastors, with an estimated KSh 700 million (~USD 5–6 million). Estimates are based on his real estate, mega‑church complex, merchandise sales, and large congregation offerings.
Controversies & Legal Battles
Link to Shakahola Cult Mass Deaths (2023)
- Arrested in April 2023 over alleged ties to Paul Mackenzie, leader of a starvation cult linked to 400+ deaths.
- Investigators found 15 bodies in his church morgue, claimed to be sick followers who died naturally.
Church Deregistration (August 2023)
Kenyan authorities shut down New Life Prayer Centre, citing unlawful activities
Pastor Ezekiel Odero’s life is a rags-to-riches tale marred by scandal. From a struggling fisherman to a flamboyant televangelist, his story reflects Kenya’s complex religious landscape—where faith, fame, and controversy often collide.
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