In a shocking incident in Kalenga Ward in Tanzania, local church member Agnes Mwakijale has been taken into custody following the discovery of the decomposing body of her pastor John Chida which she had kept at his residence for two months. Mwakijale believed that the pastor would resurrect from the dead, a conviction that ultimately led her to preserve his body after his passing in early October 2024. The alarming revelation came to light on December 3, 2024, when Amos Msole, chairman of the Isakalilo ‘C’ Sub-village, stumbled upon the condition of the pastor’s remains. This event has left residents of the ward in a state of shock, grappling with the implications of such extreme beliefs and the limits of faith. Pastor Chida was regarded as a powerful religious figure within the El-Huruma Church (EHC) leading to speculation surrounding his death and the subsequent preservation of his body. Authorities have begun an investigation following the discovery of the 70-year-old clergyman’s remains, which had significantly decomposed and emitted a strong odour, prompting local intervention. Residents of the village first expressed concerns about Pastor Chida’s health in October, but uncertainty about his whereabouts lingered. Msole, a local villager, recounts his visit to the pastor’s home while returning from his farm. Upon asking a woman present about the pastor’s condition, she insisted that he was “resting.” Msole then entered the house and discovered the pastor’s decayed body, overwhelmed by the unbearable stench. The woman, identified as Agnes, explained her decision not to report the pastor’s death, stating that he had claimed he would “rest temporarily” before returning to life. Deeply convinced by this prophecy, Agnes began caring for the body as if the pastor were still alive, regularly cleaning and changing his clothes. Pastor Chida had lived a reclusive life since establishing a branch of the El-Huruma Church in the village in 2022. His health had deteriorated following a trip to Mwanza in mid-2024, but he consistently refused medical help, relying on what he believed to be divine intervention for healing. This limited interaction with neighbours contributed to the delayed discovery of his death. The Iringa Regional Police were notified, and the remains have since been transported to Iringa Regional Referral Hospital. Chief Medical Officer Dr Alfred Mwakalebela confirms that the body was in an advanced stage of decomposition. Local psychologist Leonard Mgina suggests that Agnes’s actions might indicate psychological distress or a profound religious conviction, recommending a psychiatric evaluation for her. Efforts to reach Iringa Regional Police Commander Allen Bukumbi for further comments have thus far been unsuccessful.
