In August last year, news broke that fake prophet Victor Kanyari of Salvation Healing Ministry Church, was husband to gospel singer Betty Bayo. NTV’s Enock Sikolia had exposed the pastor as a fraudster, who only performed prayers after payment.
Kanyari was also exposed as the son of another fake prophet, Lucy Nduta, who was arrested in 2006 for conning her congregation.
Following the ‘Betty Bayo’ exposé by Nairobi Wire, a lot of people expressed their anger and disappointment at the singer, who many held in high regard. Most believed she must have known of her husband’s deeds and probably even participated.
The singer mostly ignored calls from the media but would soon confirm the reports.
Last week, she finally gave an interview to Sunday Nation’s Buzz, where she defended her husband against any wrong doing. She said that her husband spends a lot of money on TV airtime, and therefore needs support from Christians.
Here’s part of the interview.
The last two years have been very challenging too.
Why challenging?I did a private wedding, so you can imagine the backlash I got from some of my friends.I prefer my private life to remain just that; private.Then my husband, who is a preacher, was all over the news that he is conning people through church. It has been tough.Tell me more about that…Okay, my husband, Bishop Kanyari, is a prophet.He needs to reach as many people as possible through his ministry. He cannot reach as many people by just waiting for people to come to him, he has to try reaching them.To air a service for only half an hour on TV costs about Sh130,000.How many TV shows does he have every weekend?He has about four shows every week, so in a month, he spends over Sh1 million on TV only. He needs support to do that.How did the alleged scandal affect his ministry?Of course it was heartbreaking when he was branded a conman, but most people chose to look at it that way.He has more followers ever since and he has been receiving so much support to spread the word of God to those who cannot physically reach him.Has your music been affected?It has not been affected at all.How about your personal life?Of course there are people who wrote to me discouraging messages on social media and even on text messages.
I thank God that my husband helped me be strong. He was not shaken by the whole issue to begin with.
So do you think the fact that Kanyari spends Sh1 million every month on TV justifies his acts? Do you think it’s right to pray for the needy only when they give you money? Do you think it’s right the way he says God is showing him things when for sure it’s false (For instance on the false story given by Enock Sikolia about the detained container)
