Miracle or Deception? Prophet Owuor’s HIV Cure Claims Face Mounting Scrutiny After Investigation Reveals Falsified Medical Records

NAIROBI, Kenya — When self-proclaimed prophet David Owuor stood before thousands of worshippers at a December crusade in Nakuru, declaring that attendees had been miraculously cured of HIV, cancer and blindness, the proclamation ignited both fervent belief and fierce skepticism across Kenya’s deeply religious society.

Now, a television investigation has raised serious questions about the veracity of those healing claims, uncovering what appears to be falsified medical documentation and prompting warnings from health authorities about the potentially fatal consequences of abandoning treatment for faith-based cures.

The controversy centers on Owuor’s Ministry of Repentance and Holiness Church and testimonies from individuals who claimed to have been healed of HIV during the crusade.

Among them was Peter Oyan, who told TV47 investigators he had been diagnosed HIV-positive in 2012 at Rumuruti District Hospital and remained on antiretroviral treatment until attending Owuor’s 2013 Nakuru revival, where he said prayers delivered his healing.

Yet when TV47 independently verified Oyan’s account at the hospital he named, the story unraveled. Medical records showed no evidence Oyan had ever been registered or treated as an HIV-positive patient at the facility.

The unique patient identification number on documents he presented belonged not to him but to a female patient in a different region of Laikipia County. Hospital officials confirmed Oyan had never been diagnosed with HIV at their institution.

Documents presented by both Oyan and church representatives displayed visible alterations and signs of tampering, according to medical experts interviewed during the investigation.

A second facility where Oyan claimed to have tested negative confirmed his paperwork was fraudulent and did not originate from their institution. Karen Hospital in Nairobi, where Oyan said he received a negative HIV test in May 2014, found no record of his name in their system.

The investigation examined another case involving Rebecca Mose, 27, who asserted she was healed through a text message her mother sent to Owuor in December 2024.

When pressed to produce the message, she changed her account, claiming instead that healing came through an email from her pastor.

Mose further stated that the National AIDS and STIs Control Programme had closed her HIV patient file, a claim NASCOP officials refuted, explaining the agency does not close patient files and advises those who test positive to begin treatment rather than undergo repeated testing.

Despite these discrepancies, both cases received public endorsement from two Kenyan medical professionals during the Nakuru crusade, testimonies that went viral under the hashtag Science Bows.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council has since launched investigations into the physicians’ involvement.

Mary Njoroge, a pseudonym for a woman from rural Laikipia County, described to investigators how repeated visits to Owuor’s ministry in search of healing for her daughter ended in tragedy. After multiple proclamations of healing, her daughter’s condition deteriorated.

Njoroge said her faith in the church led her to abandon conventional medical treatment, a decision she believes contributed to her daughter’s death. She has since left the church, describing her experience as one of betrayal and irreversible loss.

The findings have drawn sharp responses from Kenyan authorities.

On January 3, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council issued a statement expressing serious concern over claims of healing for chronic and life-threatening conditions without verifiable medical documentation.

The council warned that unsubstantiated assertions by health professionals could mislead vulnerable individuals into abandoning proven treatments.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale questioned faith-based healing narratives associated with Owuor, cautioning against messages that undermine conventional medicine and patient safety.

The National Council of Churches of Kenya distanced itself from the miracle cure claims, urging Kenyans to exercise caution regarding unverified assertions.

Owuor has rejected the criticism, maintaining that his healings are medically proven and asserting his verification systems exceed government standards.

When TV47 crew members completed their interview with the prophet, each received 20,000 Kenyan shillings via mobile money transfer.

Owuor characterized the payments as blessings unrelated to the investigation’s editorial direction.

The journalists returned the money.

In a written response to TV47, church national coordinator Festus Mutai defended the payment as a gesture recognizing the crew’s late-night work, which extended past 1 a.m.

He insisted the church’s HIV healing claims remain straightforward facts fully medically verified and well established, citing new verification results from South Africa for a patient whose case the Health Cabinet Secretary had called for investigation.

This is not the first time Owuor’s ministry has faced controversy over miracle claims. In 2017, he asserted he had resurrected a woman known as Mama Rosa from West Pokot, a claim that drew nationwide attention.

Mama Rosa died on January 22, 2019. The prophet has also confronted allegations involving property disputes and criticism from former church insiders, including whistleblower Nelson Amenya, who has publicly distanced himself from the ministry.

The dispute arrives at a critical juncture for Kenya, where more than 4,000 registered churches serve millions of believers and where the intersection of faith, medicine and accountability continues to generate tension.

Religious scholars warn that unchecked claims and insufficient oversight can expose vulnerable followers to harm, particularly when chronic illnesses requiring consistent medical management are involved.

The case bears echoes of a 2006 prosecution in which prophetess Lucy Nduta, mother of controversial pastor Victor Kanyari, was convicted of fraud for falsely claiming to heal HIV patients.

Nduta collaborated with clinics to provide fabricated negative test results to victims who paid for her services, leading some to abandon medication and suffer serious health complications.

She received a two-year prison sentence.

While false prophecy itself is not a crime in Kenya, fraud is, raising questions about whether Owuor or associates could face similar legal consequences if investigators determine intentional deception occurred.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has not announced any investigation into the current allegations.

Health experts and regulators have emphasized a consistent message throughout the controversy.

Faith, they argue, should complement rather than replace scientifically proven medical care, especially for chronic and life-threatening conditions such as HIV.

With no verified cure for HIV existing anywhere in medical science, antiretroviral therapy remains the only established method for managing the virus and preventing progression to AIDS.

As Kenya grapples with the implications of the TV47 investigation, the broader question persists about how religious freedom and medical accountability can coexist in a nation where spiritual belief and healthcare systems operate in sometimes competing spheres.

For families like Mary Njoroge’s, the answer came too late.