Prophet Owuor, a name synonymous with the Repentance and Holiness Ministry, is known globally for his religious leadership and powerful sermons.
However, before he answered the call to ministry, Owuor dedicated many years to academic pursuits, building a foundation of knowledge in a very different field.
In this article, WoK aims to explore the educational background of Prophet Owuor, shedding light on the intellectual journey that preceded his spiritual one.
Education
Owuor began his education at Wambasa Primary School in Yimbo before transferring to Jusa Primary School in Siaya.
Due to his father’s job, he moved to Uganda and attended Luzira and Kitalya schools.
For secondary school, he went to Mbale Senior Secondary School for his O-levels and St. Peter’s College in Tororo for his A-levels.
Owuor briefly attended Makerere University in Uganda before transferring to the University of Nairobi, where he graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science degree.
He later went to Ben Gurion University in Negev, Israel, earning a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics. He also holds a degree from the University of Giessen’s Institute for Genetics in Germany.
Professional career
Before becoming a religious leader in 2003, Owuor had a career as a scientist. After his doctorate, he was offered positions at two leading medical institutions in the US.
He chose to work as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Center for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at the University of Illinois in Chicago (UIC).
There, he researched and taught within the Department of Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics at the UIC College of Pharmacy.
Owuor’s research at UIC involved drug design and discovery, and his work was published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Owuor later was appointed to the Department of Pharmaceutics at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at the State University of New Jersey.
There, he studied cancer chemoprevention, examining chemicals and antioxidants as gene switches to help the body fight cancer.
He also researched the effects of environmental factors like benzene, mercury, and cigarette smoke on tumorigenesis and carcinogenesis.
Owuor became a member of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) and presented his cancer research at international meetings.
He was then hired by the Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) in the Department of Surgery and the Division of Surgical Oncology at the University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey (UMDNJ) as a Research Teaching Specialist III (RTSIII).
Owuor’s work examined gene-switches controlling cancer angiogenesis, such as Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor a (VEGFa) and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor b (VEGFb). work examined gene-switches controlling cancer angiogenesis, such as Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor a (VEGFa) and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor b (VEGFb).
Later, Owuor was appointed into the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the Department of Forensic Toxicology and Aircraft Accidents.
Transition into religion
Owuor’s transition into religion began in the early 2000s, leading him to become a prominent religious figure in Kenya.
Owuor says he received a calling from God in 1996 while pursuing his doctorate in Israel, but he did not immediately respond.
After graduating and working as a scientist in the United States, he says the Lord reminded him of the calling. In 2003, he says he had a vision that convinced him to surrender his career and answer the call of God.
In 2004, Owuor founded the Repentance and Holiness Ministry and started out as a door-to-door preacher in Nakuru.
His ministry emphasizes repentance from sin, adherence to biblical teachings, spiritual healing, and miracles.
Owuor’s large-scale crusades and sermons have attracted millions of followers. He preaches about repentance and the second coming of Christ.
Owuor’s rise to prominence has been marked by grand public rallies and calls for repentance. He gained national attention in 2009 when he led then Prime Minister Raila Odinga in a public declaration of faith.
