Pastor T. Mwangi has declared that the Summertides Festival should never be held in Malindi again, describing the event as spiritually harmful and claiming the beach where it was staged has since been prayed over and dedicated.

Speaking during a sermon shared online, the preacher criticised the recently concluded beach festival, saying what he witnessed and heard about the event convinced him that it had crossed moral and spiritual boundaries.

According to Pastor Mwangi, it would not matter who attempted to organise or support another edition because, in his view, the venue has now been spiritually reclaimed.
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"The beach is now anointed and closed. It doesn't matter who supports it; Summertides will never happen again in Malindi," he said.

'We have never seen such a thing'

The pastor explained that he personally visited the area after the festival and spoke to people who had witnessed the celebrations.

According to him, one young man described the previous Summertides event in Mtwapa as merely an introduction compared with what took place in Malindi.


"The whole conversation of Summertides, I went to the place and said we have never seen such a thing. A young man declared that it looked like the Mtwapa Summertides was initiation, but the Malindi one was ordination," Pastor Mwangi said.

pastortmwangi // Instagram

He went on to describe the festival as "crazier" than previous editions and alleged that some of the activities associated with it were spiritually dangerous.

"It was like a business of sperm harvesting. It is so demonic," he claimed.

Festival sparked nationwide debate.

The 2026 Summertides Festival, held at Lost Beach Club in Malindi between July 2 and July 4, attracted thousands of revellers from across Kenya and East Africa.

The event generated significant business for hotels, transport operators and local traders, but it also became the subject of intense public debate after videos circulated online showing explicit partying and behaviour that some viewers considered inappropriate.

Local Christian leaders later held a prayer gathering at the beach, where they condemned the festival and urged authorities not to allow future editions to take place in the coastal town.

Several bishops described the event as inconsistent with African cultural values and Christian teachings, while calling for repentance and stronger oversight of similar entertainment events.


Clergy continue to oppose future editions.

Pastor Mwangi's remarks echo sentiments expressed by a number of religious leaders in Kilifi County following the festival.

During a prayer service held at the venue, pastors declared that they would oppose any attempt to bring Summertides back to Malindi, arguing that the town should not host events they believe promote immorality.
pastortmwangi // Instagram

However, supporters of the festival have argued that the event boosted tourism and business in Malindi during what is traditionally a quieter season, highlighting the wider debate between economic benefits and concerns over morality.


Neither the organisers of Summertides nor the Kilifi County Government had publicly responded to Pastor Mwangi's latest remarks at the time of publication.