Legio Maria leadership row heats up

By NICK OLUOCH

Migori County

The battle over the leadership of the Legio Maria church intensified after Pope Raphael Adika was barred from the church headquarters in Got Kwer in Migori District.

Adika, who went to the church headquarters in a convoy of ten vehicles and a group of anti-riot police, found it impossible to get in after thousands of church faithful who had gathered at blocked them.

Police fired shots in the air but the members would not move. The faithful, who were armed with pangas, poisoned arrows, and huge wooden crosses declared they only recognised Pope Raphael Ongombe as their leader.

Legio Maria followers regard got Kwer Calvary as a holy shrine since the remains of Messiah Simeon Ondetto were interred there in 1991. It is the headquarters of the church in East and Central Africa.

"We are not going to let the church be led by someone we have not chosen" Mr William Awiti, a faithful said insisting Pope Adika was chosen by the High Court.

Anti-riot police officers watched the drama unfold from a distance as the deputy district police officer Kiplangat Korir tried to calm the charged faithful.

Security reasons

A police Land Rover belonging to the Migori police station had its windscreens smashed by the rowdy members as they struggled to stop the team from gaining entrance.

The church members pitched tent at the venue on Tuesday evening following reports Pope Adika was heading there.

Pope Ongombe, who is involved in the battle over the supremacy of the church with Pope Adika, was not at the shrine during the incident.

Mr Korir ordered Pope Adika to leave the venue for security reasons. They reluctantly headed back to their base in Kisumu.

A faction led by Pope Ongombe is appealing against the ruling by the Kisumu High Court Judge Lady Justice Abida Ali-Aroni that recognised Adika as the bona fide leader of the sect.

Two weks ago, Lady Justice Aroni declared that Pope Adika ascen to papacy upon the death of Pope Lawrence Chiaji.