After two years of calm, the Methodist Church in Kenya has slid back into leadership turmoil, igniting what appears to be a renewed struggle for control.
At the centre of the storm is the Presiding Bishop Reverend Isaiah Deye, who was duly elected on July 20, 2023 and tasked with healing and restoring a church previously fractured by a decade of internal wrangles.
Rev Deye, 64, succeeded Rev Joseph Ntombura, who was removed from office for irregularly extending his final term.
While Sunday, July 20, should have marked the second anniversary of Rev Deye’s leadership, a prayer meeting instead resolved to remove him from office as soon as possible.
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.
What was seen as a peaceful two-year period now appears to have been concealing deeper tensions with a major confrontation looming.
On Sunday, former Presiding Bishops Lawi Imathiu and Stephen Kanyaru led a prayer meeting at Kaaga Methodist Church in Meru, attended by representatives from 12 out of the church’s 15 synods, where they declared an end to Rev Deye’s tenure.
Among the synod bishops present were Kinoti Anampiu, Douglas Gitonga, Dr Nicholus Mutwiri, Gerald Kithure, Harrison Mwiti, Leina Motian, Jonathan Koiyeyo, Stephen Mawira, Naftaly Gitonga and Joshua Ikiao.
In resolutions read by Mombasa Synod Treasurer David Kaburia, the clergy and laity listed over 10 reasons for demanding Rev Deye’s immediate exit.
They cited alleged mismanagement of church property, financial and human resource impropriety, irregular amendment of the Church Constitution (Deed of Church Order and refusal to step down after reaching retirement age.
Rev Deye is accused of irregularly leasing the lucrative Gitanga estate—valued at Sh3 billion—without involving church trustees, leading to a legal dispute.
Other grievances include the suspension of staff for two years to allow for a forensic audit, failure to remit statutory deductions, defying Ministerial Standing Committee resolutions and mishandling conflicts in the Mombasa and Singwaya synods.
He is also accused of backing the Coast Region Conference (CRC), which is advocating for the devolution of church resources and failing to pay Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) dues totalling Sh43 million.
Further claims include the non-payment of conference and synod bishops’ salaries since December and allegedly plotting to remove 10 bishops from office.
“After intensive consultations and prayers, we announce the intention to remove the Presiding Bishop in the coming days. This decision is supported by 12 of the 15 synods, the Deed of Church Order, court orders and the laws of Kenya. We assure the church members that the process will follow the standing order of 1996 and procedures that govern succession,” said Mr Kaburia.
He added that the bishop had defied a court order requiring reconstitution of the expanded Standing Committee and overstayed in office despite surpassing the mandatory retirement age.
“The Methodist Church is in crisis due to leadership failure. It has led to disunity, mismanagement and weakened the mandate of the church. For transparency, accountability and unity, the Presiding Bishop must vacate office immediately,” he said.
The leaders are now targeting the 60th annual conference, which is slated for August this year, to remove Rev Deye.
Tharaka Synod Bishop Douglas Mpara, speaking for nine bishops, said multiple attempts to resolve internal issues had failed.
He cited Rev Deye’s refusal to implement resolutions from the Ministerial Standing Committee, including one addressing a dispute involving the Mombasa Bishop.
“When ministers were stationed by the committee, the Presiding Bishop failed to act. He also ignored our resolution during the Mombasa dispute. We have held numerous meetings to address clergy and laity concerns—without success,” Bishop Mpara stated.
He added that the fallout escalated when former Presiding Bishops and Synod Bishops were heckled during key meetings of the Standing Committee—the church’s top decision-making organ.
“After the unfortunate heckling of those with dissenting views, we wrote a letter disassociating ourselves with the resolutions of the standing committee. We called for dialogue but the situation has gone out of hand,” he said.
However, in a pastoral letter to church members, Rev Deye insisted that “the Methodist Church in Kenya is well and coping with the normal management challenges that organizations face.”
He termed the prayer meeting led by Rev Imathiu as contempt of court and dismissed the allegations against him as “blatant lies and fabrications.”
Insiders suggest that a forensic audit may have triggered the current crisis as it reportedly exposed significant misappropriation of church funds and irregularities involving the 200-acre Jomvu land at the Coast.
According to Rev Deye, some of those calling for his ouster are implicated in the audit and Jomvu land probe, and are trying to block his effort to table the reports at the August Annual Conference.
“When I took office at the height of a leadership crisis, the first task was to conduct a forensic audit into the conference office and the Methodist Resort. The audit was meant to strengthen church management structures. I was also tasked with resolving the Jomvu land issue. The two reports are ready and some of those who met on Sunday are adversely mentioned,” Bishop Deye says.
He dismissed claims about his age as a distraction: "When the Conference gave me a five year contract, they were well aware of my age. However, I was given a full term to help rebuild the church. The Conference Standing committee was also expanded to include all warring groups in a bid to help in healing. If the 10 bishops believe that the standing committee is illegally established, they should as well resign because they were elected by that expanded committee," the Presiding Bishop argues.
Rev Deye admitted to financial struggles, including the KRA dues, saying the Sh43 million debt was accumulated over previous years.
"It is true some staff were sent on compulsory leave to pave way for forensic audit. This is the standard procedure in all organisations. To address administrative issues, we have appointed a conference honorary Treasurer. We are making progress in resolving the challenges,” he said.
He accused the bishops of misleading congregants regarding the Church Order amendment, asserting that public participation occurred in all synods.
