By S, KNA
The Methodist Church in Kenya (MCK) Changamwe circuit committee’s election yesterday was marred by controversy as some worshippers left in a huff, protesting interference and financial mismanagement.
The media was barred from observing the election, with four armed Police Officers deployed to man the entry to the church.
Two officers were in uniform while the other two wore civilian clothes. They had clear instructions to bar journalists from entering, ensuring the election proceedings were conducted in camera.
After the election, the presiding Superintendent Minister, Rev. Joshua Rinkanya, refused to address the media on the outcome of the election.
Worshippers were bemused by the state of affairs, with most of them opting to give the election a wide berth after the main service, accusing some Church leaders of imposing leaders on them in a bid to control the church revenues rather than serving the Church.
Joseph Kimathi, a longtime faithful, termed the election as flawed and lacking transparency, and the leaders who were elected have been at the helm of the church leadership for more than a decade.
“We had raised issues that the church didn’t get audit and expenditure reports, and it is the same period we had many complaints about the use of church money,” he stated, condemning the imposition of leaders in an unorthodox manner.
He noted that the purported election was neither godly nor just, as it is only the affluent who had their say to impose the leaders they want for their selfish interests.
“What brought them to this church is the finances, because the church has properties which are meant to assist the faithful and propel the church’s activities. If you look at the properties, the money generated there is what is being fought for. We have stalls and shops that have been rented,” said Kimathi.
He accused the church leaders of refusing to be accountable by not providing certified reports to the church. “They only want to embezzle funds so that a few can live comfortably, while the majority remain unaware of how their rights are being exploited.”
Kimathi revealed that many worshippers have been murmuring about the issue, saying they have been intimidated and reduced to mere spectators in the church’s affairs.
He vowed to seek legal redress to ensure the church gets justice and not to be liquidated by a few people. The police were urged not to take sides in the conflict and to serve all worshippers equally.
“If you have an office with powers, serve all the public fairly, not some citizens to be disenfranchised by the government and others not to get their rights,” he stated, appealing to the Changamwe police not to use their powers to push an agenda of a few people.