Some children in Nsanje are skipping classes because they spend long periods in the mountains with a religious cult that claims they are preparing for the second coming of Jesus Christ. This situation has infuriated parents, who have been unable to persuade their children to return to school, as the youngsters appear to be brainwashed by the cult leaders.
The incident follows a recent tragedy in Kenya, where more than 20 people died after a cult leader instructed them to starve themselves, claiming it was the most direct way to reach heaven. The leader has since been arrested and faces prosecution.
On Monday, the Nsanje Victim Support Unit presided over a hearing in which some parents accused the district’s religious cult of removing their children from homes and schools and keeping them in the mountains for days, awaiting the second coming of Christ. Nsanje police officer‑in‑charge Joseph Mutupha confirmed that the matter was being heard after an earlier community meeting failed to resolve the issue; the sect’s leaders remained adamant, stating that “everything is now vanity since Jesus will soon appear to take His own.”
Pastor Henry Zongoloti, representing the Nsanje District Pastors’ Fraternity at the meeting, said the case remained unresolved because their colleagues in the clergy could not reach an agreement. “It’s pathetic! Some bright learners in the district have refused to sit for the Primary School Leaving Certificate examinations because they see no need for education when Jesus Christ will soon appear to judge the world. Others have denied their parents, claiming they do not know them. Imagine children calling their parents sinners and outcasts,” he said.
Comments are closed for this story.