The Anglican Church of Kenya(ACK) leadership wrangles in the Kapenguria Diocese in West Pokot County continue to widen with two splinter groups operating parallel with some churches locked down.
One group is now accusing the other for having a scheme to install church leaders in secrecy and planning to sack those against him without following the church constitution and court order that required a status quo.
A section of the church members are accusing the commissary Bishop (Caretaker) Bishop Simon Onyango who was sent to oversee the transition for handling administrative issues against the church requirement.
According to the members, the caretaker Bishop has been sending emissaries to parishes to engage in church activities without involvement of the local church leaders.
The Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Kapenguria Diocese was established four years ago after it was hived off the larger Kitale Diocese but the newly created diocese remains without a Bishop.
And now, a fall out is looming among Faithfull’s of Anglican church of Kenya ACK, West Pokot County after two parallel factions fault each other against bringing divisions in the church.
A growing dispute over leadership has sparked concern among church officials and members, despite a valid court order meant to guide governance.
The tensions, according to several church members, have been fueled by secretive actions by certain leaders, including irregular elections and perceived favoritism in the selection of church officials.
A long standing leadership wrangle has escalated as one faction protest and oppose the commissary Bishop Simon Onyango sent by the Arch Bishop Jackson Ole Sapit to quell down tension and give way for the new Bishop in the Kapenguria Diocese.
The protesting faction accuses the commissary Bishop of having a scheme to install the new Bishop and elevate some church leaders without their knowledge.
The two factions have been having parallel church services and different tithe collections based on the faction one belongs to.
Rev Joseph Peywo, a pastor at Holy Trinity Kamorrow Parish church said the church has been divided.
‘Bishop Onyango sends people to the church without my knowledge. He has been micro managing issues. He brings pastors from other areas into the church. Police are manning the church. We are not used to his new way of doing things,’ he said.
Rev Joshua Korinyang, the Deputy Pastor at Kamorrow church they have been sidelined with the caretaker Bishop examining the chaplain.
“The commissary Bishop has been doing synod things yet we don’t have structures in Kapenguria Diocese. He should come and call for a synod with delegates from the Kitale Diocese. He wants to take us to tribunal and sack us so that he can give suffragan Bishop Samson Tuliapus yet the matter is in court. The case in court will be heard on January,19th, 2025. We don’t want divisions. People want to kill each other. We shall accept any Bishop, even a white man or Tuliapus if structures will be put in place,’ he said.
Jackson Kakuko, a church elder, pointed out that they want to create loopholes for suffragan Bishop to be bishop elevated.
“They are using lies. We have no trust in Bishop Onyango. We need a transition committee. Despite a valid court order, we continue to see leaders creating divisions in the diocese. They have aligned themselves with external factions, including a group linked to Archbishop Jackson Olesapit, and this has caused animosity among Christians. We have written to him over 30 times about our complaints but nothing has been done. Even in areas like Sigor, the tension is visible.” said J Kakuko.
