This week, social media users in Kenya circulated videos showing Pastor James Maina Ng'ang'a charging 1,000 Kenyan Shillings (approximately 10,000 Rwandan Francs) to Christians attending his church service after giving them bottles of water.
Pastor James Maina Ng'ang'a, who leads the Neno Evangelism Center based in Nairobi, Kenya, handed out bottles of water during his sermon. However, the congregation was surprised when he demanded that each person pay 1,000 Kenyan Shillings for the water.
After the sermon, Pastor James told the worshippers that anyone who received a bottle now owed him money and had to pay. If they didn’t have cash, they were required to remove their shoes and hand them over to the pastor.
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He stated, “You can’t drink my water for free. If you don’t have the money, give me your shoes. If you don’t have those either, don’t sit at the front—go sit at the back.”
In the video circulating on social media, church members can be seen handing over the money for the water, unaware they would be charged for it.
Pastor James is known for his controversial actions. On July 26, 2015, he was arrested after causing a fatal accident that killed one person and injured another. The accident happened while he was driving under the influence of alcohol.