Anglican Church disowns pastor who officiated 'Holy Spirit wedding'

The Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) has disowned the pastor who officiated the ‘wedding’ between Ms Elizabeth Nalem, a resident of West Pokot County, and the Holy Spirit last week. 

ACK Kapenguria Bishop Samson Tuliapus said Mr Albert Rumaita, who funded and presided over the event, was a mere church member and not a bona fide pastor.

Mr Rumaita, the bishop said, has no powers to officiate marriages. 

"We don't support what happened because the Holy Spirit things don't happen that way. It is a shame to our parish and the entire ACK church. It was an embarrassment,” Bishop Tuliapus told the Nation. 

He also hinted that the church might take legal action against Mr Rumaita. 

West Pokot County police commander Jackson Tumwet, whose officers had arrested Ms Nalem after a child-neglect complaint made by her husband, said they had released her for counselling by the church.

"They came and counselled the woman and she went back to her home. We advised the husband to let the church handle the matter,” Mr Tumwet said. 

The 41-year-old mother of six ditched her marriage to ‘wed’ the Holy Spirit last week. She stunned residents of Makutano town in West Pokot last week when she dressed up in a white gown and called her friends and family to witness what she described as her marriage to the Holy spirit.

But her husband, Mr Joshua Nalem, protested her decision, saying she had neglected him and their children. 

Following the ceremony, Ms Nalem said she had been directed by God to go to Uganda, and thereafter the United States of America, to spread the gospel.

But she was arrested on Monday and held for six hours before she was released with no charge.

Chaos erupted at the police station when the woman refused to go back to her home citing harassment by her husband, even as police officers and neighbours pleaded with her to return to her family.

Mr Nalem, who said he paid 22 cows and 15 goats as dowry, said he had been doing all the housework by himself following the ‘wedding’.

“She didn’t inform me about the wedding. We are still duly married, and this is a lot of work,” he said. 

But Ms Nalem, determined to spread the gospel, insisted the ‘wedding’ was her calling and remained unmoved. 

“I will not go with this man. I’m married to the Holy Spirit. I don’t want him. I was told to come back home. I was about to be killed by people and I ran away. I don’t want any hindrance in my way. I want my rights as I continue with my new job,” she told Nation.Africa on Tuesday.

She claims the Holy Spirit had instructed her to go back home because some people were blocking her path to Uganda.

“I had reached the Amudat area but I’m back home now. People wanted to kill me. But I will move on. No one will stop my new move,” she said.