Lorine Otieno: SDA Solo Artiste Banned From Performing In Church Moves To Court, Cites Suffering

• Singer Lorine Otieno has voiced her frustration after her attempts to contact the Southern Kenya Lake Field of Seventh-Day Adventists regarding her ban were unsuccessful
• In an interview with TUKO.co.ke, she stated that the ban was executed improperly, as the church manual was not followed in the process
• Otieno has highlighted several challenges the ban has caused her, including a decrease in subscriptions to her music, which is her sole source of income

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

Artiste Lorine Otieno has taken legal action against the Southern Kenya Lake Field of Seventh-Day Adventists after being banned from singing in any of the churches in the region.

Otieno expressed her frustration over unsuccessful attempts to communicate with the field's directors.

Why has Lorine Otieno sued SKLF-SDA?

In an exclusive interview with TUKO.co.ke, she revealed that she did her album launch at Oyugis bus stage and not a church set-up.

"I had requested to perform in the southern region because I was beginning to gain supporters there. However, the church I approached asked me to postpone just a few days before the event, making it impossible to proceed with their request. I therefore resorted to a market within Oyugis," Otieno claimed.

Following the event, she came across a letter banning her from performing in the field on social platforms.

The action followed Otieno's album launching event on October 7, 2023 that was allegedly emceed by crossdresser MC, Professor Amata, popularly known as Min Jacky.

In response, the traumatised gospel singer sent letters to regarding the memo to demand answers but has not yet received any substantial feedback.

"I took all the necessary steps, but the feedback I’ve received has been inconsistent. It feels like they don’t view my situation as their own. While my home is in the area, I’m not registered with the Southern Kenya Lake Field; I’m registered at Huruma in Nairobi, and unfortunately, they were not consulted either," she cried.

Additionally, she stated that the directors did not adhere to the church's disciplinary procedures as outlined in their manual.

What does church manual say about disciplining members?

According to the manual, "no church should vote to disciple a member under circumstances depriving them of their rights. Written notice must be given at least two weeks before the church board meeting and two weeks before the business meeting, including the reasons for the disciplinary hearing".

Moreover, "members may be disciplined for a sufficient cause, but only at a properly called business meeting. The meeting must be presided over by an ordained pastor or a licensed pastor who is ordained as a local elder of the church concerned, or in the pastor's absence and in counsel with the pastor or with the conference president, an elder of the local church".

What challenges has Lorine Otieno faced after ban?

This situation has led to several challenges for her. Otieno revealed invitations to perform at church events, including song launches and weddings outside the field.

Calls to perform Mombasa were also cancelled after she arrived at the venue. Otieno also lost touch with some individuals she had started collaborating with.

A single mother and caretaker for her ailing father, she has been facing significant financial difficulties since the ban was imposed.

She disclosed relying on friends for support to come through for her family and produce music which has been her only source of income.

"It’s been challenging. Since the ban, I haven’t attended any events. To produce music, I’ve had to rely on friends for support. As a mother, I struggle to provide for my children. My earnings have significantly decreased, and I’ve lost some subscribers, which has been devastating, as music was my only source of income," Otieno revealed.

Efforts by TUKO.co.ke to reach the executive director involved in the matter were unsuccessful.

Preacher Ezekiel Odero risks losing church

In other news, televangelist Ezekiel Odero has faced a setback as the Court of Appeal has dismissed his application challenging the deregistration of his Newlife Prayer Centre.

Odero argued that the closure of his church, which has over 40,000 members and affiliated institutions, was imminent following the court's decision.

The judges pointed out that the New Life Prayer Centre failed to apply for exemption under the Fair Administrative Action Act and did not provide any exceptional circumstances to warrant avoiding the established procedures before the High Court.

Proofreading by Asher Omondi, current affairs journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.