Drama Over Kenyan VIP Arrival! Congregants Refuse to Leave Seats for Bomb Sweep

The 7th edition of Praise Atmosphere was held from December 7–9 at the Kenya International Conference Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.

Thousands attended to enjoy local and international gospel performances, including the Kenya debut of American artist Naomi Raine.

During the event, organizers issued a last-minute directive for attendees to temporarily evacuate the hall for a “bomb sweep” to accommodate high-profile guests, widely believed to include President William Ruto.

The directive for evacuation was described by media outlets, including Citizen TV, as a standard security protocol for VIP arrivals. Organizers have not issued a formal statement addressing the viral video.

A video of the incident, shared on X (formerly Twitter) by parliamentary aspirant Francis Gaitho (@FGaitho237), has received over 67,000 views, 993 likes, and nearly 100 replies within 24 hours.

Announcement and Crowd Response

Midway through the evening, Kalekye Mumo the female emcee who was dressed in a green gown addressed the audience, urging them to stand up and vacate their seats. She stated:

“We have dignitaries who are coming... We've not done a bomb sweep! As much as you are seated, and we appreciate so much for coming... the security has said [to stand up].”

The crowd largely remained seated. The emcee warned, “If not willing, then we’re going home,” and continued:

“Hello, I know you're good people... how about the others? So do you understand? I know you're a good person... Let me explain why I'm saying this.”

But the crowd hilariously responded by saying, “No, we're sinners,” which elicited laughter and applause from attendees. After more than two minutes of back-and-forth, the event continued without a full evacuation.

Watch the clip below:

Social Media Reactions

The video prompted widespread discussion online. Selected reactions include:

• @KarimiWesonga: “‘We are also dignitaries’” – highlighting the crowd’s implicit retort (174 likes)

• @muggnet: “Lovely sins. We must fight impunity everywhere in this country. The church in Kenya is an enabler of everything wrong with Kasongo's regime.” (86 likes)

• @antokinyua: “Ati I know you're good people alafu wanasema we're sinners” (83 likes)

• @AnthonyM14067: “Kenyans are not real humans! They have super powers am telling you…. I must say that congregation is the best in the world. No Nonsense! ... May God bless you all for protecting the pulpit.” (53 likes)

• @AttackMissile: “Lmfao, she actually thought saying bye will change their mind” (44 likes)

• @MUASAP: “We’re also dignitaries…..… huyo apewe Medal” (41 likes)

Users also linked the incident to ongoing anti-government protests, with hashtags like #RutoMustGo appearing in threads discussing the refusal to vacate.

Event Details

Praise Atmosphere 2025, organized by Mavuno Church, featured performances by local and international gospel artists.

The event’s theme, Season Complete, aimed to celebrate faith and spiritual breakthroughs. Ticket prices ranged from KSh 1,000 to KSh 27,000 for VIP access.