Drama as faithful break into ACK church in Siaya

Drama unfolded at the Anglican Church of Kenya’s St Paul’s Yala Parish in Siaya County on Sunday morning after a group of angry faithful broke into the house of worship amid an ongoing leadership dispute.

The church was allegedly locked by the Archdeacon two weeks ago following a leadership dispute that has resulted in a stalemate stemming from calls for the split of the ACK Diocese of Maseno West where the parish falls.

At the gate of the church, a big signpost inscribed with the words “St Paul’s Yala Parish -- a foundation built upon the rock,'' stands in stark contrast to what is the current situation: a shaky foundation that threatens to bring the ACK church down.

Forcible access

In an unholy twist, the faithful assembled outside the church by 6.30am on Sunday morning with a hacksaw and a steel bar commonly used for excavation, ready to forcibly access the premises.

The media had been alerted in good time the previous night to witness the storming in.

By around 8am, the faithful broke the padlock at the gate, then took down three more at the main entrance of the church. Later, two more padlocks were broken in a bid to gain access to the church.

As the drama unfolded, the church choir churned out songs to cheer the angry faithful on and, when they finally entered, they dusted off the seats, opened the windows and proceeded with the Sunday service as other people continued to stream into the premises.

A classroom

All this time, the other faction was holding its service next to the main church inside a building that is usually used as a classroom for early childhood development education.

When the Nation approached this group for comment, the members flatly declined and locked the door to bar journalists from covering the ongoing drama.

According to Odongo Onyango, the vice-chairman of the laity – ordinary faithful who are not clergy – the church is being irregularly taken away from them.

Mr Onyango accused Archdeacon Edward Otieno Onyango and Lay Evangelist Judith Magudha of locking them out of church on January 5, 2021.

Subsequently, on Tuesday, January 12, with authority from the Diocesan Bishop as confessed to the Officer Commanding Yala Police Station (OCS), the clergy put additional padlocks to the ones they had earlier, permanently locking faithful out of the church.

“We do not know why, because we were not consulted and legally the church belongs to the laity,” said Mr Onyango, the lay vice-chair.

Constitutional rights

By taking this decision, Mr Onyango reckons, the Diocesan Bishop and his team have violated their constitutional rights and freedom of assembly and worship.

And, after two weeks ''in the wilderness,'' the Christians decided to take matters in their own hands.

They resolved that since the church was locked by the Archdeacon, the Vicar stands recalled by the Diocese and, therefore, the church ceases to have a vicar.

They also stripped Judith Magudha, Leah Otuoma and Emmanuel Owino of their positions with immediate effect.

This is also not the first time the church has had such issues. There has been a long, protracted battle among church members over various issues.

To date, the stalemate over calls for split of the ACK Diocese of Maseno West drags on.

A section of clergy and Christians from Gem Sub-County has already written to ACK Archbishop Jackson ole Sapit claiming there is a conspiracy to stop them from creating another Diocese of Maseno Central.

They claim that a close-knit network between the Diocese of Maseno West Bishop John Godia, and operatives of the office of Archbishop Sapit at ACK Garden House, Nairobi, were behind the conspiracy.