Controversial pastor Victor Kanyari is making a killing online, amassing close to half a million shillings on video sharing app Tiktok since his debut in April.
Speaking in an interview, the embattled clergyman revealed that he has made KShs 400,000 on the platform, impressing netizens with his transparency noting that pastors often shy away from money matters. READ FULL STORY
He stated that he joined the TikTok wave targeting the youth and was on a mission to bring lost souls back to the church.
“I joined TikTok because I noticed that it is mostly the younger generation and I wanted to reach out and save some lives. There are a lot of tragedies and I think we can make a difference. There are a lot of drug addicts on the platform and I hope to help and guide them.” he explained.
TikTok influencers make money through brand partnerships, advertising revenue, the app’s Creator Fund and for creators like Kanyari it is through the virtual gifting feature where viewers can purchase virtual gifts like emojis, diamonds, or other virtual items during live streams.
“I have received numerous gifts from Kenyans in Germany and the USA,” he shared in a past interview. “Most of the gifts are from people in those countries. Money however isn’t my main motivation for being there,” he clarified.
His short stint on Tiktok has been nothing but scandalous and the pastor has found himself under fire over the content shared on his platform.
The most recent uproar occurred during a Sunday service when a TikToker, Faith M Peters, left the congregation perplexed after presenting Kanyari with an unusual gift: condoms, panty liners and petroleum jelly.
She proceeded to profess her love for Kanyari, who accepted the gifts and opened them on the pulpit, eliciting varied reactions from the audience.
Another instance was Kanyari performing a live ‘exorcism’ on gay Kenyan TikToker Mpenzi Chokuu to address his sexuality, which raised eyebrows about his actions as a man of God.
These instances do not come close to things the pastor is most remorseful about, citing his biggest regret as his ‘310’ scandal where he was exposed for conning his followers, asking them to give an offering of KShs 310, in exchange for blessings.
He stated that he has a special spot in his heart for his haters, maintaining that they are the reason behind his success.