Methodist Church wing breaks away, wants church devolved

Rev Misheck Kanake, the president of the new Methodist Church in Kenya's Mount Kenya Region Conference, after he was unveiled at Amwamba Primary School in Igembe South, Meru. [Phares Mutembei, Standard]

A wing in the Methodist Church in Kenya (MCK) which is headquartered in Meru County has broken away to form the Mount Kenya Region Conference

The group of church leaders opposed to the leadership of MCK Presiding Bishop Joseph Ntombura, who also doubles as the president of the Methodist Church in Africa, on Sunday unveiled Rev Misheck Kanake as the new president of Mount Kenya Region Conference.

The ceremony to unveil Kanake was held under the guard of police officers at Amwamba Primary School in Igembe South, Meru. [Phares Mutembei, Standard]

The ceremony to unveil Kanake was held under the guard of police officers at Amwamba Primary School in Igembe South Sub-county.

Kanake said he vouched for the creation of regional conferences to encourage the devolution of the church functions and enhance autonomy and governance. He was accompanied by Charles Makonde, president of Coast region, and Gershon Mwiti of Nairobi Conference.

The Coast and Nairobi conferences were the first to break away, even as other church leaders allied to Bishop Ntombura maintained it was against the church standing orders.

Rev Misheck Kanake (left), Rev Charles Makonde (Coast) and secretary Sawamunga Chidongo at Amwamba Primary School in Igembe South, Meru. [Phares Mutembei, Standard]

Kanake and his allies maintained the creation of Mount Kenya Conference, also to be headquartered in Meru, was just the beginning in their clamour to decentralise the church’s functions.

“Let the Methodist faithful in Kenya be ready to welcome and accommodate devolution. The future of the Methodist Church in Kenya is in devolution allowing the Executive authority to go to the regions,” Kanake said.