The Nyeri Labour Court has ruled that the Methodist Church pays its dismissed pastor a sum amounting to Sh 214,000.
Pastor Wilson Njagi was dismissed from her duties by the church after the church found that she in 2017 was already pregnant before she was married. Her offense in this case- according to the church- being engaging in premarital sex.
“As noted, you did a church wedding on May 27, 2017 and you gave birth in the month of October the same year. That is five months instead of expected nine months,” read Ms Njagi’s letter of dismissal.
It added: “After investigations, it was noted the pregnancy had gone full cycle
of nine months, showing you involved yourself in sex before marriage far much
before your wedding, thus compromising the moral standards of the church which
you are supposed to uphold and lead as an example to those you were preaching
to as an evangelist.”
After suing, the church challenged a ruling that ordered it to pay the preacher over unfair dismissal.
Justice Nzioki wa Makau however rejected the application.
The judge ruled that it was discriminative and unlawful to sack the preacher on grounds of becoming pregnant before she got married.