Nairobi Salvation Army church in supremacy war

Members of the Salvation Army, Nairobi Central branch, protest outside the church compound after they were locked out by the church leadership in a take-over bid. The congregation later held their service outside the gate [PHOTO: PIUS CHERUIYOT/STANDARD]

NAIROBI: There was drama at the Salvation Army Church, Nairobi Central branch, after some members were barred from entering the church compound by police.

The members who are said to have been excommunicated spent the better part of yesterday protesting at the entrance over allegations of misappropriation of funds and discrimination on tribal grounds by the church leader.

“People from Western region have been unfairly targeted. We have been deleted from the church register and our leaders stripped off their positions,” said Benson Bigedi, an Assistant Sergeant.

Mr Bigedi alleged that the captain had enlisted the help of police to bar the excommunicated members from setting foot in any of the church’s branches.

“Allocation of funds is done on tribal grounds with his kinsmen get the lion’s share,” claimed Nancy Ivitsu, a church member.

The Salvation Army church is divided into two territories: the west comprising the Luhya community, and the east comprising eastern and central Kenya communities.

In a letter dated September 4 addressed to the Western Section Leader, Kennedy Akenwa, Church Captain Phenias Karanja detailed reasons leading to the excommunication of members, citing unfaithfulness to the church as the foremost reason.

Mr Karanja refused to comment on why he had stationed police at the church gate barring members from entering.

Supremacy battles in church leadership  have become common with the most recent being two archbishops of the African Nineveh Church engaging in a scuffle that left two members dead.