The Rev Isaiah Deye has been elected the presiding bishop of the Methodist Church in Kenya, hopefully marking an end to wrangling that has bedeviled the church for 10 years.
The Rev Deye, who has been acting in the same position, won overwhelmingly after garnering 281 votes out of the 368 delegates present.
The closest contestant for the position, the Rev Catherine Mutua, got 35 votes, while Bishop Bundi Miriti and Bishop Harrison Mwiti got 26 and 24 votes respectively.
Bishop Deye took over in an acting capacity after the former presiding bishop, Joseph Ntombura, was ejected from office on allegations of mutilating the church constitution and extending his term illegally.
Speaking after the Rev Deye was declared winner on Thursday, retired bishop Lawi Imathiu said the election was free and fair.
“Remember that we have elected you for a term of five years. Do not attempt to extend your term because we do not want wrangles from now on,” the Rev Imathiu said.
Bishop Deye takes over a church that is split with intense leadership wrangles and divisions and he is expected to unite the flock.
The wrangles had seen several cases filed in court and many congregations delinked themselves from the office of the presiding bishop.
Speaking recently during a reconciliation prayer service, the Rev Deye said he was keen on reuniting the congregations.
“We will no longer fight each other but focus on edifying one another. As a church, we must accomplish its mission. We pray that God will help us heal the wounds we have inflicted on each other over the years,” Rev Deye said.
Before his exit, the Rev Ntombura’s leadership had been criticised, with several bishops leading their synods in disowning him.
Trouble intensified last year when the Rev Ntombura had his term in office extended by two years, ostensibly to allow him to finish his term as the president of the Africa Methodist Council.
After intense criticism, the Rev Ntombura, in March, announced that he would hand over the office by August.
However, in April, he was forcibly removed from office by a team led by former presiding bishops.
The Rev Ntombura continued to attend church meetings in areas where he enjoyed support, until mid-June when a court order was issued barring him from acting as presiding bishop.
