The embattled presiding bishop of the Methodist Church, the Rev Joseph Ntombura, who had expressed fear for his life before moving to court for protection, has been re-elected to head the church whose Sh500 billion property is at stake.
The Rev Ntombura and the top leadership of the church established in 1862 told a Nairobi Court that former church leaders had teamed up with greedy politicians in the government to wrest the Kenya Methodist University (Kemu) from the church.
Milimani Law Courts Senior Principal Magistrate Paul Rotich was told by lawyer Danstan Omari for the Rev Ntombura, who is also the president of Africa Methodist Council, that some retired church leaders teamed up with powerful politicians to grab some of the church institutions.
“Hired armed goons invaded the Sh12 billion Methodist Church headquarters last December with a view to kicking out Rev Ntombura and other leaders from office,” Mr Omari told the court.
He told the court unless it orders the Kileleshwa police to provide security, the church’s 57th Annual Conference will be disturbed because those opposed to the Rev Ntombura’s leadership had vowed to hire gangs to ensure nothing goes on.
In the suit, the trustee-registered Methodist Church and Rev Ntombura had named Bishop Misheck Kanake and 15 others as respondents.
However, when the case came up for hearing, lawyers for the respondents failed to turn up in court after members of the 57th Annual Conference elected the Rev Ntombura to lead the church for another two years.
“This case has been overtaken by events since Rev Ntombura has been elected as the validly elected head of the church,” Mr Omari told the court.
In the wake of the new development, Mr Omari urged the court to terminate the case since the bone of contention was the election of Rev Ntombura.
“The respondents’ lawyers have developed cold feet in this matter. They are not in court. I do not intend to proceed with it now, let’s fix a mention date for further directions,” Mr Omari prayed.
The Rev Ntombura was elected by 179 representatives from 45 regions in the country that form the synod.
In the petition, Mr Omari had told the court powerful individuals were colluding with three former bishops and 13 former members seeking to have the church’s properties -- including the Kemu University, Kemu hub and the Methodist Resort Centre in Nairobi worth billions of shillings -- sold.
"We have instructions to protect the properties of the church from getting into the hands of private enterprises. Leadership of the church has lately endured immense attack innuendos, pressure to release the properties and assets of the church to individual people," the Rev Ntombura states in the affidavit filed in court.
"Several attacks of both physical nature bordering on criminal activities have been instigated against the leadership of the church. Malicious attacks and propaganda against the leadership of the church have been made with an intention to … tarnish the name of the church with a view that we surrender properties," the Rev Ntombura added.
