ACK Clergy facing oblique future after reinstatement court ruling

It's been hell on earth for three Anglican Church clerics booted by their church on gay claims and reinstated by the courts.

In October 2015, Archdeacon John Gachau, alongside Reverends James Maigua and Paul Warui were suspended by Bishop Joseph Kagunda who is the top most cleric of the ACK in Mt Kenya West claiming they were gays.

However, after a year, the three moved to court challenging their dismissal and after a bruising court battle. This year the court reinstated them in compliance with a court order dated October 30, 2016 by Justice Byram Ongaya. The latter quashed the suspension and ordered that they be reinstated and paid Sh 6.8 million for wrongful dismissal

Kagunda issued the reinstatement letters a day after he was sentenced to civil jail for contempt of court by Justice Nzioki wa Makau of the Nyeri labour court.

On July 14 however when they went to report to their new stations, they bumped on protesters mostly women who had blocked them from accessing the churches.

Big blow

Gachau can vividly remember how crushed he was by the allegations and admits that he was in denial for weeks expecting the situation would be resolved.

He told The Standard on Sunday that since his license to officiate was withdrawn on August 22, 2015, it has been hell on earth.

“I couldn’t believe the news, I honestly thought that given a chance to defend myself against the allegations, I would be reinstated, but things just went from bad to worse,” he explained.

He moved from Nyeri County and retreated to what he hoped would be his retirement home in a remote village of Timbaroa, in Laikipia Central.

“My house was not complete, and I had nothing to eat and only a make shift house to sleep in as I mentally processed what was happening to me,” He noted.

With no job he started clearing the thorny bushes on his farm preparing to till the land and grow some food as he passed the time.

“When I heard the news I realised I could not get my fair hearing as expected and just broke down in disbelief and despair, uncertain of my future,” he explained.

He finally gradually picked up the pieces of his life and now is an ardent farmer, growing onions, maize, beans and french beans which he noted help him feed and provide for his family.

With the meagre earnings from his farm he had finished building the house he now calls home and his family have moved in finding peace of mind.

“The calling to serve God is within me and I still believe and support in the ACK Church, I still attend my local church, and congregate like other Christians because I know where my heart is,” he noted.

Spending days on end at the farm, his neighbours fondly call him Pastor, and often pass by to chat and share their challenges and fears to which he calmly listens and offers encouragement.

“I was healing from the heartbreak of what happened in 2015 until what happened two weeks ago jolted my perspective on how deep and devastating life has changed,” he pointed out.

After being reinstated, the three were met by protests Gachau reported to Kariki parish, while Maigua was deployed to Witima parish, Warui had been posted to St. Stephens Thunguri parish but all three faced hostile congregants who rejected them.

Evasive reinstatement

Rejected, the men retreated back to their homes and jobs uncertain of the future all the while receiving both messages of support and condemnation.

"I know that I am not alone, I have received phone calls from several clergy and ACK congregants in support of me and I feel this is a very divisive issue," Gachau explained.

So divisive was the issue that the Anglican Church leadership congregated in Nyeri three days after the protests to diffuse tension that has been growing over dispute involving clerics.

The head of the Church Archbishop Jackson ole Sapit held a service at St Peters Cathedral where he announced that the church was ready to abide with the court's orders regarding suspension of priests.

Sapit who was accompanied by seven other Bishops however said religious disputes should be left to the church to resolve them.

Speaking to The Standard on Saturday, Maina who now lives and works in Machakos, said he was willing to come back to the church and continue serving in divine ministry.

“I am concerned about the hostility I received because it was a well-orchestrated attempt to intimidate us,” He said.

Maina pointed out that it is unusual for congregants to welcome a new vicar in a church he is posted as this is the role of the Parish Council.

He said efforts have been made to calm the situation as the church administration has reached out to him.

“My bishop called me and said they were laying a foundation on the way forward, now I am waiting to see what will happen,”Maina noted.

Gachau said he has no desire to hold any bitterness towards those protesting against him and insisted he too was willing to work within the Church if given a chance.

"Even though I have been rejected at the church I do not know what my next move is but I will pray on the matter and request for another posting,"Gachau explained.

He said that he had only seen his accusers in court but had never spoken or met them in person.