Nairobi, Kenya: A leadership tussle in the African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa (AIPCA) is threatening to divide the two million faithful.
On Monday, some members of the AIPCA central board disowned a newspaper advertisement alleging that the influential organ that governs the church’s activities had ousted Paul Gichu.
“To put the record straight, the AIPCA Central Board has not had any meeting to discuss the conduct of any member in the recent past. No special general meeting has been held to excommunicate anyone. Paul Gichu is the popularly elected national chairman and he is the one in charge of the leadership of the AIPCA,” said the national administration secretary of the church, Mr Stanley Muthomi.
The faithful congregated at the AIPCA Bahati centre carrying banners and protesting against the alleged author of the ouster, Archbishop Amos Kabuthu who they said was working in cahoots with some church commissioners to illegally oust Gichu.
They questioned Kabuthu’s suitability to lead the church, whose national membership is estimated at about two million, in 1,578 branches across the country.
Kabuthu is embroiled in a court battle with a member of the church who wants him to produce academic papers to prove he meets the required academic qualifications to vie for the post of Archbishop. One has to be a holder of a degree in theology from a recognised university to qualify for the post. The newspaper advertisement alleged that Gichu was excommunicated alongside other leaders of the church.
Bertha Mwangi, the national chairperson of the women’s council and wife of the former head of the AIPCA, the late Archbishop Samson Gaitho termed the alleged excommunication illegal and malicious.
“We have had our wrangles and have tried to reach out to one another to reach an understanding. There must be a two-thirds majority to replace the leadership, according to our Constitution,” she said.
Archbishop Kabuthu could not be reached for comment as he was holed up in a meeting.However, speaking on Kabuthu’s behalf AIPCA’s assistant secretary general Benard Mwangi said the excommunication of Gichu was official.
“It is very official and it remains that. He (Gichu) formed a splinter group in the church. It maybe because he is fighting for the leadership of the AIPCA. Archbishop will call a press conference to spell out the position of the AIPCA,” said Mwangi.
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