Eldoret: Leadership Wrangles Spark Standoff In Church As Worshippers Lock Doors

• Members of Kao La Amani AIC Church found locked doors when they attended a Sunday service
• Two different factions of the church protested about leadership despite holding elections during their previous service
• A similar incident occurred at Kiamwathi Presbyterian Church of East Africa in Nyeri, where youths demanded the return of Reverend Lucy Kiriungi

Nancy Odindo, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics, news, and feature stories across digital and print media in Kenya.

Eldoret, Uasin Gishu - An unusual situation unfolded at Africa Inland Church (AIC) Kao La Amani, where worshippers were forced to pray outside the building due to internal disputes.

The conflict arose from leadership and financial disagreements between two factions, leading one group to lock the other out.

According to K24 Digital, Joel Kimisoi, the leader of the newly elected local church council, was prevented from assuming his role in an event scheduled for Sunday, August 18.

“You can talk to our bishop about all issues but we are peaceful and praising God,” Kimisoi remarked.

Rival factions accused the church leadership of lacking financial transparency. As a result, most worshippers prayed in groups outside the church before leaving to avoid potential chaos.

This comes after AIC Bishop Luka Maiyo visited the church the previous Sunday to oversee the local council elections, in which Kimisoi's team was re-elected.

Why did youths disrupt prayers in Nyeri church?

A similar incident occurred at the Kiamwathi Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) in Nyeri Town, where irate youths disrupted the church's proceedings in protest against its leadership.

Their anger was directed at the church elders, who they accused of unjustly trying to dismiss Reverend Lucy Kiriungi.

"We’ve said no reverend, no service. We refuse this matter of dismissing the pastor for no reason,” said one of the youths.

Nairobi father allegedly stabs stepdaughter to death

In another story, a man from Mukuru Kwa Njenga was accused of killing his 16-year-old stepdaughter.

The deceased was preparing to go to church when the man attacked her and stabbed her severally before attempting to flee.

According to the suspect's wife, her husband bought the alleged murder weapon two weeks before allegedly committing the heinous act.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke