Rosalind Wanyeki: Kenyan Pastor Facing Deportation from Canada Appeals for Help
- A Kenyan religious leader, Rosalind Wanyeki, explained the reasons for protesting her deportation from Canada
- In a video, Wanyeki, who fled Kenya in 2020, clarified the reasons why she left the country and explained ways by which citizens can help stop her deportation
- Local communities in Canada mobilised support, held vigils, and signed petitions in hopes of stopping the impending deportation
Nancy Odindo, a TUKO.co.ke journalist, has over four years of experience covering Kenyan politics, news, and features for digital and print media.
A Kenyan-born preacher living in Canada is appealing for help amid a looming deportation for herself and her two young children.
Source: UGC
Rosalind Wanyeki, widely known as Reverend Hadassah, is scheduled to be deported on Thursday, August 7, alongside her daughter Joylene Mundia (10) and son Pearl Mundia (6).
Why did Reverend Rosalind Hadassah fly to Canada?
Wanyeki, the founder and senior pastor of Prayer Reign International Church in North York, Toronto, says she fears for her family's safety if they are forced to return to Kenya.
She claims they fled the country in 2020 to escape persecution by a powerful church leader in Nairobi.
"I have the church, I have my own business. I would not have come all this way to be told to go back. Honestly, kill me here. If you want me to go back to Kenya, let us just finish it here," she said.
The pastor also expressed frustration over the alleged lack of support from her local Member of Parliament, despite multiple attempts to seek help.
“I’m getting opposition. I’m getting responses that cannot help me right now—and I need help,” she said.
According to CTV News, her refugee claim and application for permanent residency under humanitarian and compassionate grounds have both been denied by Canadian immigration authorities.
Why are Kenyans, Canadians against Wanyeki's deportation?
In response to her plight, members of Toronto’s Kenyan and East African faith communities held an emergency prayer service and press conference at the Royal Chapel in North York.
They called for urgent government intervention and described Wanyeki as a valuable member of the community who has provided spiritual and emotional support, assisted newcomers, and contributed to various grassroots organisations.
A Change.org petition has also been launched in a bid to halt the deportation, garnering support from both Kenyans and Canadians.
Petitioners argue that the two children have lived in Canada most of their lives, are integrated into Canadian society, and face severe risks if returned to a country they no longer know.
"We are pleading with the Canadian government to consider the future and well-being of these two children. Canada is the only home they know. Removing them would not only traumatise them but also expose them to significant danger and instability," the petition reads.
Source: UGC
The family was initially scheduled for deportation in early July, but the process was delayed as the children were still in school.
While the clock ticks for Wanyeki to forcefully return home, she has appealed for support by signing the petition to help stop the deportation and also sending a message to the immigration officials.
"The petition will send notices to the MP, the minister of public safety, and the prime minister," she said.
Will the government deport Mishra Swarup?
In other news, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale threatened to deport former Kesses MP Mishra Swarup over alleged involvement in illegal kidney trafficking.
He made the remarks after Mishra’s Mediheal Group hospitals were accused of organ harvesting, calling it a serious national and international crime.
The CS warned of possible prosecution, hospital closures, and revocation of Mishra’s citizenship under the Citizenship and Immigration Act.
However, Mishra denied the allegations levelled against his hospitals, arguing that the committee that carried out the investigation and prepared the final report had a predetermined mindset.
He argued that the Mediheal hospitals are reputable health facilities that operate within the law, adding that at no time did any of the facilities engage in organ harvesting
The embattled former Kesses MP said he was ready to carry the cross if he were found guilty of the allegations levelled against him and the hospitals he manages.
His legal team, led by city lawyer Kitwa Kigen, said they are ready to prove their client's innocence in court or any investigative institution.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
