Adventists dominion popular in Kisii have always presented the picture of the church as Jesus Christ himself would have wanted it,a quiet community that eschews controversy and busies itself in spreading the gospel.However things are not going this way as everyday we are waking up to a new scandal in the kisii dominated churches.
In September the Methodist Church of Kenya was embroiled in leadership wrangles that led to court. The church founded in 1967 is swamped by court disputes, particularly by those opposed to the leadership of its current Bishop, Joseph Ntombura. One of the suits questions Ntombura’s academic qualifications and accuses him of being in office illegally, harassing staff and mismanaging church affairs.
Meanwhile recently this Sunday saw two pastors at a local church in Nyaisera area, Gucha in Kisii County being held at Ogembo police station after they fought in church.
It is alleged that the two pastors, Pius Onsongo and his assistant Lawrence Kirera engaged in a physical fight after a disagreement ensued between them.
“Church followers had thronged to the church to elect new officials but, Onsongo disputed the election of new officials on grounds that the previous team was competent. On the other hand, Mr. Kirera sided with church members to push for the election of new officials in the church,” said Alexinah Nyaboke.
Nyaboke said Onsongo was angered by Kirera’s decision and started fighting.
“Onsongo hit Kirera one fist on the head prompting to the fight which lasted for 10 minutes as church members scampered for safety,” she noted.
Area assistant chief Nicholas Mong’iti condemned the pastors saying they were a bad example to church members.
“I apprehended the pastors and surrendered them to Ogembo police station where they are currently being booked from where they will be taken to court,” he said.
He warned residents against unnecessary fights saying legal procedure should be used to solve differences.
“The current leadership of the Methodist Church in Kenya has purported to revise the current church’s standing orders 2011 edition with an intention to muzzle the members and stifle their rights,” a suit filed by the three church members Mugambi Bakari, Hellen Kimunchu and Timothy Kinyua Methodist members petition read. According to the three, the church leadership enacted a law prohibiting church leaders from engaging in court battles, which is viewed as an attempt to stifle dissent.
Early January this year at the heart of the disgruntlement were accusations that those charged with steering the ship were not having clean hands, as it were.
A group of three members – who claim to speak on behalf of hundreds of church members and leaders were calling for an overhaul of the church leadership. The group laid a litany of charges against the church leadership, ranging from nepotism to breaking the laws of the land as well as looting of property and misuse of powers through the police.
The group includes former university don Dr Charles Maranga Bagwassi, former politician Geoffrey Asanyo and retired media executive Sammy Masara who have written several petitions arguing that unless urgent remedies are instituted, then the SDA church is on the path to self-destruction.
Most Kisii’s are known to have a fueling temper, do you think that eliminate the church disputes completely?