Kenyan sect waits for two pastors to resurrect

"They are just sleeping, they are not dead," KSF overseer and self-styled apostle John Kimani said during prayers Monday.

NAKURU, February 23, 2010 (AFP) - The faithful of a Protestant church in western Kenya are refusing to bury two pastors who were killed a week ago in a road accident, hoping they will rise from the dead like Jesus, a church follower said.

Patrick Wanjohi and Francis Kamau Ndekei of the Kingdom Seekers Fellowship (KSF) died in an accident on the road linking Nairobi to Nakuru, where KSF is based, on February 15.

"They are just sleeping, they are not dead," KSF overseer and self-styled apostle John Kimani said during prayers Monday.

"We are not going to bury them, because they have not completed their mission here on earth. We need them back because without them the church will collapse," he continued.

KSF's Apostle Kimani had promised the KSF faithful that the two pastors would ressurrect on Saturday, three days after the congregation started a fasting and prayer session.

Thousands of people braved a day of torrential rain for the resurrection ceremony. As the day wore on, the ushers opened up the coffins in readiness for the pastors to rise from the dead, but all that happened was a near stampede as the faithful rushed forward. The bodies of the pastors remained in the caskets, Kenyan daily The Star reported.

The bodies have been placed in the KSF temple where hundreds of assembled faithful continue to pray round the clock for the miracle to happen, according to an AFP reporter.

The only effect of their prayers so far has been to draw curious onlookers.

"We will continue praying until Thursday. If by then they have not risen from the dead, we will bury them," Apostle Kimani said.