Kanyari ‘celebrity status’ causes a stir

What you need to know:

  • @WaMusau said: BREAKING: Nation ends the year on a sour note after splashing Pastor Kanyari and Vera Sidika as Christmas models on page one. A sad day.

Christmas is officially here and the Nation decided to look into how some of Kenya’s popular personalities are planning to celebrate the day.

Musician Jaguar said he would donate foodstuffs, world javelin champion Julius Yego will be at home with his family and friends.

However, adding the controversial Pastor Kanyari to the list caused a stir online.

Kenyans took to social media to express their dismay over the inclusion of Pastor Kanyari alongside other renowned celebrities.

The preacher gained notoriety when he claimed that he could heal the sick if they made a financial contribution via M-Pesa. 

@gibbs_ace said: What is more disturbing? The fact that Kanyari is on the front page or coz he is put on the same space with @JuliusYegoKE?

@bonifacemwangi added: Fake preacher who has been investigated for fraud, hit and run is now a celebrity according to Kenya’s leading daily. 

@WaMusau said: BREAKING: Nation ends the year on a sour note after splashing Pastor Kanyari and Vera Sidika as Christmas models on page one. A sad day.

More readers saw the choice as disappointing and went further to give suggestions of who they would have liked to see crowned as a “celebrity”.

@Soitas: Is it lack of content? If I was the editor I would have chosen the #ManderaHeroes as my celebrity.

As the New Year approaches and we start making resolutions on what we want to achieve and leave behind, some suggested that Pastor Kanyari should fall in the latter category.

@KosgeiRonick added: 

#ThingsShouldBe-LeftIn2015 Pastor Kanyari, Ng’ang’a things. We are really killing religion #ThingsShould-BeLeftIn2015