Ezekiel Odero’s Crusade Interrupted By Authorities In Tanzania

A gospel meeting in Arusha was disrupted by police on Sunday, July 16, after the authorities linked the preacher to a controversial figure.

Pastor Ezekiel Odero, from the New Life Church in Kenya, was due to preach at the meeting, which was scheduled to take place at the Ngarenaro Primary School field. However, the Arusha District Security and Defense Committee revoked the permit for the meeting, citing several reasons.

First, the authorities said that the proper procedure had not been followed in issuing the permit. They said that the letter should have been sent to the Director of Arusha City, Juma Hamsini, for him to discuss with other government officials before the permit was issued.

Second, the authorities said that Pastor Odero has been implicated in allegations of deaths of followers in Kenya. They said that welcoming him to Arusha could have caused unrest.

Third, the authorities said that the venue given for the meeting was a school, and students were in the midst of taking exams.

As a result of the revocation of the permit, police officers arrived at the scene and asked the people who had gathered for the meeting to disperse. The meeting was then disrupted.

Pastor Odero’s colleague, Soni Nabii, said that they were disappointed by the decision to disrupt the meeting. He said that they had followed all the necessary procedures in applying for the permit, and that they were not aware of any allegations against Pastor Odero.

The authorities have not yet commented on whether they will allow Pastor Odero to preach in Arusha in the future.