In the dusty lanes of Juja, Kiambu County, few would have predicted that a barefoot boy named Gilbert Deya would one day become a household name—celebrated by thousands, scorned by others, and entangled in one of Kenya’s most sensational religious scandals. The life and times of Gilbert Deya, who passed away this week in a grisly road accident, read like a script pulled from a movie: rags to riches, miracles and mystery, law and exile.
From Stonemason to ‘Archbishop’
Born on February 2, 1937, Deya was the 13th child in a poor family. He dropped out of school early and took up odd jobs—a stonemason, a shoe shiner, a porter. Yet, it was his entry into evangelism in the 1970s that transformed his life. With nothing more than a fiery voice and a Bible in hand, he founded the Salvation of Jesus Christ Church and later crowned himself “Archbishop” under the United Evangelical Church of Kenya.
By the mid-1990s, his reputation was spreading like wildfire. His claim? That God had given him the power to pray barren and menopausal women into miraculous pregnancy. The so-called “miracle babies” would soon become his signature calling card.
Read Also:Wanjiku wa Ngũgĩ: Novelist, Playwright, and Bold Voice in African Literature
The Miracle Baby Controversy
In 1997, Deya moved his ministry to the United Kingdom, setting up branches in cities like London, Manchester, and Birmingham. Kenyan and African diasporas flocked to his sermons. Tearful women shared testimonies of conceiving after years of childlessness. His name was now spoken in the same breath as other flamboyant televangelists.
But behind the euphoria, unsettling questions loomed.
In 2004, a high-profile investigation in Nairobi revealed that some of the so-called miracle babies were not genetically related to the mothers claiming them. DNA testing exposed deep irregularities, and suspicions turned into police investigations. It wasn’t long before the Gilbert Deya Ministries came under intense scrutiny—both in Kenya and the UK.
Legal Battles and Extradition
While his wife, Mary Deya, was arrested and convicted of baby theft in Kenya, Gilbert Deya fought extradition for years. He argued that he was the victim of religious persecution. But in August 2017, British authorities extradited him to Kenya to face child trafficking charges.
For nearly six years, he appeared in Kenyan courts, maintaining his innocence. Finally, in July 2023, a Nairobi court acquitted Deya, citing insufficient evidence. The ruling was divisive—applauded by loyalists, questioned by critics.
A Sudden and Silent Exit
On June 17, 2025, the story of Gilbert Deya came to a sudden and tragic end. He was involved in a deadly road accident on the Kisumu-Bondo road, colliding with a Moi University bus and a Siaya County government SUV. He died on the spot at age 88. Several university students were also injured in the incident.
As news of his death broke, a flood of mixed reactions poured in—from deep sorrow by some congregants to renewed outrage from families still haunted by the “miracle baby” saga.
Read Also: Mukoma wa Ngũgĩ: African Literary Voice, Poet, and Cornell Professor
A Legacy Both Revered and Reviled
The life and times of Gilbert Deya leave behind a trail that defies black-and-white judgment. Was he a prophet misunderstood by the system? Or was he a cunning manipulator who preyed on vulnerable couples? For many Kenyans, especially women still struggling with infertility, his name evokes raw emotion.
Deya’s rise exposed deep gaps in the regulation of religious institutions in Kenya. His fall offered a cautionary tale on blind faith and unchecked spiritual authority. Yet, even in death, Gilbert Deya forces Kenya to ask tough questions about the intersection of faith, desperation, and truth.
The chapter on Gilbert Deya life and times has closed, but the echoes remain. He will be remembered as one of Kenya’s most polarizing religious figures—a man whose legacy danced between hope and scandal, revival and courtroom drama. As Kenya continues to wrestle with the influence of charismatic ministries, Deya’s story may well become a defining case study in faith’s most complicated forms.
Never Miss a Story: Join Our Newsletter
