Inside the life of the woman who wed 'Holy Spirit; - Husband speaks

'I don’t know what is disturbing my wife...I have fully paid her bride price. I paid 22 cows,' - husband

Piece by: MARYANN CHAI
Lifestyle

• Pastor Albert Rumaita of the Anglican Church Makutano who tied the knot said the world might be coming to an end and he had no option but to do what the woman requested him to do.

• Elizabeth went missing for five days immediately after the wedding but reappeared at her matrimonial home.

Elizabeth Nalem during her wedding at Chelengaa Gardens in West Pokot last week
Elizabeth Nalem during her wedding at Chelengaa Gardens in West Pokot last week
Image: MARYANN CHAI

Joshua Nalem is still puzzled by his wife's behaviour. Is she okay?

The mother of six vanished after she married the ‘Holy Spirit’ last week in a strange church ceremony in West Pokot county.

On Tuesday, Elizabeth Nalem, 41, returned to her matrimonial home accompanied by her bridesmaid.

But she refused to sleep at home after the husband asked her bridesmaid to leave.

Elizabeth went missing for five days immediately after the wedding but reappeared at her matrimonial home.

“My wife was upset since I did not allow her best maid to spend the night at our place. She left and went to look for her,” he said.

Nalem said they have been living happily and had not engaged in any quarrel that could have forced her to change her mind about their marriage.

“I don’t know what is disturbing my wife. We are married and blessed with six children. I have fully paid her bride price. I paid  22 cows,” he said.

He said Elizabeth's decision to marry the "Holy Spirit" has deeply affected him since he has been left to take care of their children alone.

“I allowed her to go to church since I don’t go. But when I noticed weird  characters in her prayer pattern, I questioned her and she was upset and left our home. She stayed away for five days," he said.

Nalem said his wife used to wake up at 3am for prayer.

He was left speechless when he saw her dressed in a white gown at Makutano town ready to get married for a second time.

Speaking to the press, Elizabeth said that God had sent her to preach the gospel. That’s why she closed her hotel business since it could interfere with her new assignment.

The woman claims that the Holy Spirit has promised her a chopper to aid her in spreading the word of God throughout the world.

She said she has been directed to start her work at Amudat in Uganda but was asked to go back at home first before taking up her new duties.

“I was set to start preaching the word of God at Amudat but I was asked to come back home and make peace before heading to the neighbouring country,” she said.

Elizabeth assured her husband and children that she has not abandoned them but they should allow her do the will of God.

“This job doesn’t want restrictions. That’s  why I am asking my family to relax since I will be spreading the word and come back to them,” she said.

Neighbours tried in vain to persuade her not to abandon her family.

“We are not opposed to the call you received. If you want to be respected and people to listen to the message you have been sent to deliver please take care of your family as a mother first,” a neighbour pleaded.

Dickson Kamarikech, another neighbour, said they are perturbed by Elizabeth's story because they have never heard of a person getting married to the Holy Spirit.

“We have consulted our aged grandparents who have said that such things have never happened in this community," he said.

Kamarikech said that it was against Pokot culture for anybody to get married to something that they don’t see.

After the wedding the mother of six was spotted at  Ng’otut area, Kasei ward in North Pokot subcounty along the Kenya –Uganda border. She was accompanied by her bridesmaid.

The incident has left many people dumbfounded as to the reason the married woman made the hard decision of leaving her husband allegedly to wed the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Albert Rumaita of the Anglican Church Makutano who tied the knot said the world might be coming to an end and he had no option but to do what the woman requested him to do.