Cracks in Methodist Church as Coast branch seeks autonomy

Bishop Wellington Sanga of the Methodist church, Coast region, addresses the congregation in Rabai, Kilifi County, yesterday. [Mkamburi Mwawasi, Standard]

A major split has occurred in the Methodist Church after a group from Coast sought to disassociate itself from the headquarters in Meru.

The splinter yesterday announced it had also seized key assets including schools and land, and declared it will not submit weekly collections to the mother church.

The church in Coast, which is based at Ribe in Kilifi County, consequently appointed Bishop Wellington Sanga to oversee the region.

Sanga was reportedly sworn in on Saturday despite a court order stopping the exercise.

The bone of contention, sources said, appears to be a struggle to control resources, between officials from Coast and those from Meru. The Coast officials are also unhappy that the church is dominated by one community.

However, Methodist Church in East and Central Africa's presiding bishop Joseph Ntombura told the rebels to leave the church if they were not satisfied with the way it was managed.

Ntombura who spoke in Mombasa where he installed Bishop Joshua Mithika M’Ikioa at the Wesley church to oversee the region told those dissatisfied "to move quietly and form their own church".

“I do not want to dwell on this matter because it is a non-issue. I am urging those who are dissatisfied with the management of the church to leave instead of interfering with our work,” he said.

Ntombura, who was accompanied by former presiding bishops Lawi Imathiu and Zablon Nthamburi, said the church would avoid whoever wants to disrupt its programmes.

Imathiu advised church members to keep off those he said were out to mislead them for personal gain.

Prof Nthamburi said although he had retired, he would continue to preach and support the church's leadership. “I will continue to offer my advice to the church,” he said.

However Sanga, who was declared the presiding bishop of the Methodist Church at the Coast, instructed all branches to stop sending offerings to the headquarters.

“As the presiding bishop in the region, I want to announce I have also taken over all the land, schools and other properties of the church in this region,” Sanga said.

He said efforts to stop him from being sworn in flopped on Saturday after the court order arrived late.

Sanga named Bishop Fredrick Mbovu to represent part of Kilifi and Kwale counties, Bishop Yaro Abio (Singwaya), Bishop Samuel Kagwi (Lamu), Bishop Davis Matano (Kilifi) and Bishop Ronald Lwembe Nzai to head the Mombasa synod.

Sanga differed with the church headquarters over its decision to stop wearing of hijab in a school it sponsors in Isiolo County.

"We don't want to be associated with the wrangles about wearing of hijab in schools because Muslim and Christian students have been living together in peace at the Coast,” said Bishop Sanga.