The Senate committee that is investigating the Shakahola deaths will today visit Pastor Ezekiel Odero's New Life Prayer Centre and Church in Mavueni, Kilifi county as part of their probe.
The 11-member ad hoc committee chaired by Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana is expected to be picked up from the Mombasa airport at 8.30 am and they will go directly to Mavueni.
The team is investigating the proliferation of religious sects and also inquiring into the Shakahola deaths.
Some 429 bodies have been exhumed from the Shakahola Forest. The deaths were linked to cult teachings by preacher Paul MacKenzie.
The state has linked Pastor Ezekiel to MacKenzie, a claim the New Life church preacher has vehemently denied.
"I have no links with MacKenzie. We only interacted once when I wanted to buy a TV station from him and even then, I did not see him. That was it," Ezekiel told the senators on Friday when he appeared before the ad hoc committee in Parliament.
It was in that sitting that Pastor Ezekiel invited lawmakers to his church premises for a fact finding mission.
Pastor Ezekiel Odero of New Life Prayer Centre and Church offered to ferry a Senate Committee to the Coast to his church in the ongoing probe into Shakahola deaths.
He promised to cater for all the expenses for senators who would be on that trip.
"I will pay for you to come and see what we do. I pray from the bottom of my heart that the chair of the committee convinces the members to come," Ezekiel said.
And the Senators accepted that invitation. The team includes David Wakoli (Bungoma), William Cheptumo (Baringo), Richard Onyonka (Kisii), Eddy Oketch (Migori), Hillary Sigei (Bomet), Abdul Haji (Garissa) and Veronica Maina, Hamida Kibwana, Tabitha Mutinda and Shakila Mohammed, all nominated members.
The team will tour the church premises before holding a boardroom meeting with the church leaders.
Ezekiel in his submissions on Friday said he has a calling from God and that the money the church gets as offerings and tithes are used for the benefit of congregants and local communities.
