Eroo Mtetezi is a gospel singer whose father was a witch doctor. He opens up about how he escaped death after he was poisoned and why he chose a different path from his father.
Please introduce yourself.
My name is Pastor Eroo Mtetezi, a born-again Christian. Jesus is my friend and personal savior. I am also a musician, a father, an entrepreneur and a husband. I hold a Diploma in Computer Software and Programmes from Graffins College. Currently, I’m a resident of Nairobi County.
Give a brief background of your upbringing.
I was born and raised in Turkana County. I am the firstborn of two sons. It was a polygamous family, my mother was the second wife of the many my father had. My dad worked for the provincial administration as a caretaker of the animals recovered from cattle rustling, so life was generally good. He was also a witch doctor and this worked well for him.
What was it like living in a witch doctor’s home and your father working as one?
Our home was like a clinic because the sick would camp here until they got healed, a story I will have to explain in detail in our next interview. I witnessed my father doing a lot in his work as a witch doctor since he used to engage me in his activities.
One day, he took me up with him to a small forest within our locality. He spoke to a tree and it dried up. I saw this with my own eyes. He was not a wash-wash guy but a true mganga. My dad was always away attending to other people, mostly his clients, and his long absence really affected the family.
Interestingly, my younger brother fell sick and my father was nowhere to treat him. He succumbed to the disease. This is where things started going downhill. Mum got angry and she left the marriage. Dad picked me up and went with me.
Where did your father take you and how did it unfold?
After my mother fled back to her home, my father took me to live with his first wife. Initially, things seemed okay, but it didn’t take long before we were both poisoned. Dad succumbed but thank God I’m alive today.
I was picked up by someone who knew my mum and they hosted me for some time. This was how my early childhood went, and I started working for people to survive. I would take care of animals in the fields among other tasks… It was tough.
In 1998, my dad’s brother, James Lobwin Lopua Eremon, came to my rescue. He brought me to live with his family in Nairobi.
How did you continue with your education?
My uncle who had rescued me enrolled me back in school. I tell you he was the man that God used for my life all through. I owe him all. He’s been a pillar in my life.
How did the turnaround come, I mean from a witchdoctor’s son to a servant of God?
My uncle, who I now call dad, was a very devoted Christian. I learned a lot from him under his care. His passion for God was unmatched. He introduced me to church and I fell in love with it from the word go.
In 2003, I gave my life to Christ and that’s how my journey began. Today I’m a pastor at Faith in Christ Ministry, a church I’ve been attending for more than 12 years. I thank God for the journey so far.
Tell us about your song ‘Umenitoa Mbali’.
In 2012, God gave me a song as I was working in a wines and spirits shop in Eastleigh, Nairobi. The song titled ‘Umenitoa Mbali’ is based on my actual life experiences, a true life story.
You can watch this song and others on YouTube, stream on Boom Play, Baze Music app, Spotify and all the other music apps. I recorded the song in 2013 and God has been faithful to date.
You recently vied for a political seat in Ruaraka…How was the experience?
Over the years, we’ve had challenges as citizens because we elect incompetent fellows to represent us but they fail at the end. They get the votes, only to come back after four years when seeking votes for the next term.
The urge for leadership has been in me. I find rest when the lives of people are changed for the better. I thought about this in 2017 and was categorical about it.
I said to myself, instead of complaining about poor leadership, why not give it a try? And I put up a good fight in the race for Ruaraka Constituency, vying on Usawa Kwa Wote party.
The support was overwhelming; unfortunately, it was not our day. So, I live to rise another day, five years is not a lot of time.
I’m only 31. I’m proud of the efforts of my campaigns. It’s only that the wave of the dominant parties – Azimio and Kenya Kwanza – carried the day. But I’ve learnt a lot, which will be useful to me in the near future.
