Why controversial preacher Jimmy Irungu slept inside closed coffin

Jimmy Irungu, the controversial pastor who attempted to hug a tree for 80 hours, is at it again, this time involving a coffin.

As part of his campaign to raise cancer awareness, the clergyman lay in bed for several hours before dramatically finishing the challenge inside a casket.

Just like the first time, Irungu was aiming for a record time of 80 hours. 

Defending the act, which left many talking, he said it was meant to show the pain patients endure and the reality of death from cancer, particularly the emotional and physical toll on families.

The incident took place on April 3, during the pastor’s 80-hour sleep endurance challenge, which he used to urge the government to declare cancer a national disaster.

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Around the 50th hour, he disappeared from his bed, only to resurface inside a casket transported in a hearse.

The pastor was seen lying inside the sealed casket, which curious bystanders carried and placed next to his bed. The bizarre scene drew a crowd, resembling a funeral setting, with Irungu remaining inside the closed casket, eyes shut.

Online, Kenyans reacted in earnest.

@liz.gueen commented, “Hawa pastors wameanza kujaribu nguvu za mungu.”

@fresdone254 posted, “Mjamaa anapiga rituals mukidhani ni kucreate awareness.”

@luseno002 dismissed the challenge, saying it lacks relevance.

Irungu is no stranger to controversy.

Earlier this year, he went viral after attempting to hug a tree for nearly 80 hours, a challenge that ended abruptly when he collapsed at the 79th hour.

Despite criticism, the pastor insists his unconventional methods are meant to spark conversations and draw attention to often-overlooked causes.