Allan Kiuna: The Preacher, the Force and the 'Dad' of Kenya's Prosperity Gospel

An unabashed champion of the Prosperity Gospel, a sub-culture of church teachings which extols material success in the believers of Christ, Bishop Allan Kiuna was a man of a gilded mission - a servant of Christ who did not shy away from the finer things in life, hoping to heap his opulent abundance onto his followers.

Kiuna was a suave, spiritual charmer who started small alongside his equally elegant wife before ballooning into a wondrous religious behemoth who conquered the city and amassed a staggering fortune.

Sporting his signature curly hairstyle and a smile which could charm an Arabian princess, Kiuna was the poster boy for all things glorious - he could carve words into everlasting spiritual gems and arouse congregations with the sheer might of his gospel rhetoric.

A clever megachurch genius, with astute marketing techniques, Kiuna oozed power and grace, easily winning converts with his gestural sermonising of the prosperity doctrine’s seductive allure.

Always on hand to compliment his adroitness was his wife Reverend Kathy Kiuna, a rockstar in her own right, and an indomitable figure in the seemingly indestructible Kiuna super-brand.

The visionaries, who founded the Jubilee Christian Church (JCC) in January 1999, went on to preside over an enormous entity patronised by celebrities, heavy hitters, city hotshots and even politicians.

At the helm, Kiuna called the shots, transforming what was once a small-time gathering of faithful into a renowned doctrinal brand.

Sunday services at JCC were a concert-style symposium characterised by triumphal choruses, syncopated clapping, blaring drums, performative chants and drawn-out worship marathons.

Like a rock star at the Madison Square Garden, Kiuna would then take over the sessions, sweating profusely, handkerchief in hand and armed with carefully curated anecdotal quotes for the charged gathering hanging onto his every word.

Not too far from the pulpit was his wife Kathy who could be seen egging her man on - her face, clammy and flushed as she fawned over her partner who was rocking the stage and lighting up the crowd with unmatched ease.

Like born-again Bonnie and Clyde, Kathy and Allan never hid their unwavering dedication to each other, ready to go to war for the Lord - and for their minted family brand.

To their followers, they were simply 'Mum and Dad', a term used so liberally, so endearingly on them, it brought some form of unease and even embarrassment in some quarters.

Always in pricey three-piece suits, and those sharp Ferragamo loafers, Kiuna was the embodiment of success, the bastion of godly elegance, as he stood next to Kathy, who beamed brightly and shimmered in her sequined dresses and bouncy wigs.

Like Kenneth Copeland and Jesse Duplantis before him, Kiuna knew the way to the world's heart was through television - and flowery sermons. On that front, he performed spectacularly and with stupendous results.

Drenched in the anointing, Kiuna knew just what words to use to rouse the crowd - he knew how to weave the scriptures into spiritual euphoria, pounding an unwavering message of indescribable earthly success to all those who trusted in the Lord.

It was easy to sell the narrative - because, he, was testimony.

The churchy lovebirds went on to conquer more than just the hearts of believers - they quickly ascended the financial ladders, becoming one of the wealthiest - and most prominent - couples in Kenya.

And even when, sometimes, questions were raised about their conduct, or their messaging and some of their not-so-savoury activities, the Kiunas knew not to ruffle feathers and dive into controversies - they were a masterclass on public relations, a thoroughbred duo on image management.

However, they were also flagrant self-promoters who used their privilege, wealth and position in society to anchor themselves favourably and carve a shatterproof image of the perfect couple who had weathered storms, fought and argued but still came out smelling like roses.

Even when he was diagnosed with cancer back in 2018, Kathy Kiuna took it all in her stride, updating the world on her husband's progress, telling it all and taking it all graciously and with Christ-like agility.

As the cancer took its toll, Allan Kiuna vanished from the main stage, retreating to hospitals and his bed, as his wife carried on the torch, using his infirmity as yet another opportunity for the Lord to manifest Himself and deliver a victory for His people.

“Chemotherapy had him at his lowest. What was most difficult for me, was having to be home preaching most of the time and not by his side physically and honestly speaking it took all of me to even stand and preach,” she said back in 2019.

“Regardless of how I felt, I had to show my husband that we would get through this and show strength even when it was hard and would later go on my knees and remind God of His promises most times with tears rolling down my face."

Fast forward to 2024, the JCC partriach is no more and his family - biological and spiritual - are certainly feeling the weight of the insurmountable loss.

But in the final book of Christian movements in Kenya, Kiuna will be remembered as a phenomenal force who rose from the backstreets to become an invincible pulpit giant who commanded millions and lived as fabulously as a Brazilian soccer star.