Some members of the Africa Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa (AIPCA) from Turi were temporarily locked out on Sunday after a rival group changed the locks.
Police arrested those who had locked the church and made them open it. They were later released.
Two factions are fighting over control of the church. Nakuru West Diocese Bishop John Macharia Muya said trouble started last week when some members closed the church.
Bishop Muya reached out to the disgruntled members urging them to put aside their differences and allow peaceful service at the church.
“A few members locked the church. They then ordered the rest to keep off,” said Muya.
Although the accused members opened the church on August 25, they again closed it Sunday morning before the rest of the members could arrive.
A letter left at the door of the church revealed that the members wanted the church hived from the Nakuru West diocese to Nakuru East, a move Bishop Muya says is against the constitution of the AIPCA church.
“Our constitution does not allow even a Bishop to move a church from one diocese to another. It is only the Central Board Committee with the approval of the Archbishop which can do that. Nothing of this kind has been done,” said Bishop Muya.
He said the disagreement is not resulting from the Diocese level but from higher officials, adding that the AIPCA church currently has three archbishops who are yet to agree on who is the senior most.
“The three leaders have been telling the members to remain calm as they seek to iron out their differences. They should ensure that they agree the soonest possible because their differences are now splitting members,” said Bishop Muya.
He urged the three Archbishops to make their stand known, adding that it was shocking that even after them holding a meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta, they have not solved the leadership wrangles.
