Court case exposes intrigues of Methodist Church dispute as bishop risks ouster

Methodist Church of Kenya presiding Bishop Joseph Ntombura. [File, Standard]

The Methodist Church Bishop Joseph Ntombura is battling a section of his flock who wants him defrocked.

Four Methodist Church worshipers have dragged the bishop to the corridors of justice with seven accusations against him.

In yet another example of increasing cases of the faithful seeking judicial intervention to resolve their differences, the four last week asked the court to jail their bishop for six months for disobeying court orders.

Godfrey Simiyu, Mathew Kaburu, Kibia Michubu and Charles Kinoti had convinced the High Court to bar the cleric, who took over on January 6, 2013, from leading the church until the case is heard and determined.

On the other hand, they paid the price by being excommunicated. But they refuse to leave, saying that Christ alone has the final say.

Harassment of staff

The trouble started sometime in 2015 when his congregants under the Methodist Lay People Caucus sent Ntombura a protest letter. They accused him of among other things being in office illegally, harassment of staff, financial misappropriation and illegally leasing church property.

They demanded that he produces his academic credentials to prove that he qualifies to lead the church. The church’s regulations, enacted in 2011, required that a bishop should have Master’s degree and basic degree in theology plus at least 10 years’ experience.

These rules were suspended in 2013 lifting the Master’s degree requirement. The church, founded in 1967, went back to its 1996 regulations.

The manner and reasons of the revised regulations is also in contention.

Jeremiah Mailutha in his affidavit filed in court claimed that he attended a committee which resolved to change the laws but denied that the members agreed to suspend the 2011 regulations.

“In the meeting, there was no resolution that the Standing Orders were suspended and to revert to that of 1996 as indicated in the minutes,” he claimed. “I disassociate myself as the contents are not exact position as we had discussed on June 15, 2013.”

In addition, the members also wanted the bishop to respond to their demands and call for the Standing Orders Conference Committee to iron out the grievances against him.

The members also demanded that he gives a report of his business interests, in Kenya and abroad and how he allegedly acquired three plots in Gucha Mission.

He was also required to give a detailed explanation to the other accusations which had been raised against him by another clergy Rev Joseph Kinyondi and to a letter written by Dr Gladys Mwiti alleging mismanagement of Kenya Methodist University.

On February 19, 2015, Mr Kinyondi wrote to Methodist Conference secretary accusing his boss, of among other things, keeping idols and being a habitual liar. “Like Jonah of the old, he technically removed himself from the ship because of his own sin of disobedience to God and the Church,” claimed Kinyondi.

In one of the letters dated April 8, 2015 and addressed to all bishops, members of the Standing Orders Committee and former presiding bishops, an unnamed staff claimed that there was corruption in the church which would be unearthed by a forensic audit.

“You need to act fast because the charge touched a panic button and the man is out to maximise benefits before the ouster. He is also doing everything possible to frustrate the charge and he does not believe in being called to account,” the letter annexed in court records read.

It continued: “We prefer to remain anonymous for obvious reasons. But if you want to verify our complaints just order for a forensic audit, you will be shocked at the rot and plunder of church resources.”

The bishop was also accused of threatening and demoting 10 pastors. But in his reply, he denied the claims leveled against him.

He also asked the court to throw out the case as the members had not exhausted the church’s internal disputes resolution mechanism.

“I have read and understood the application and the affidavit. All are based on lies and half-truths and accordingly are misleading to this honourable court. The applicants are malicious people keen to defame and embarrass and hence I would like to humbly request this honourable court to protect the office of the presiding bishop from such idlers,” Ntombura replied.

He said from the time he took over as a bishop, he had earned three Masters Degrees. “As the presiding bishop of the Methodist Church of Kenya, I am guided by the Standing Orders of the church and most importantly, the principles and teachings of the Bible. Being a leader, I was elected to ensure that the word of God is preached in Kenya and beyond and I would never do anything to jeopardise that mission,” he said.

The bishop also denied that the rules were changed to suit him, adding that Mailutha, was lying to the court.

“I have never allowed myself to be a stumbling block to the established systems that have guided the church. The applicant cannot distance himself from the minutes because he was part of the delegates attending the conference and his attempt to distance himself is ill will and actuated with malice,” he replied.

In his suit papers, the bishop blamed internal politics in the house of God for the divisions. According to him, the group fighting him wanted to front a candidate of their own in the church’s last year election.

“The group is politically motivated and is composed mainly of relatives who predominantly come from one section of Meru County and do pretend they are sympathising with individuals who happen to have lost their jobs because of various management reasons,” Bishop Ntombura says.

Currently, the war is between the sheep and their shepherd. In 2016, Methodist Church Trustees joined the fray asking the court to lift its orders on the bishop.

Rev Zablon Nthamburi, also in an affidavit, swore that the court had assumed its powers prematurely as the members had not approached the trustees or any other organ for solutions.

Then the mother church engaged a higher gear that would play out in last year’s 52nd Annual General Meeting.

Rev Nthamburi alleged that the four petitioners had been expelled from the church during the previous AGM.

The second resolve was to interrogate former Presiding Bishop Lawi Imathiu alongside Rev Micheal Simba, Rev Alice Mutuma, Rev Paul Matumbi and Reverends Eunice Indagasi, Patrick Gitonga and Stella Mwiti.

The case is awaiting full hearing after being adjourned in March.