There was drama at Nairobi Central SDA Church, on Saturday, after the anti-riot police barred worshippers from entering the premises.
A heavy police contingent manned the gate from early morning amid the start of the church’s annual camp meeting.
Chaos has reportedly rocked the church since Wednesday after it expelled 15 of its members, who were thought to be the main trouble-makers.
“This is to let you know that the persons named do not belong to the Seventh Day Adventist faith and their names were dropped from our books,” the letter addressed to all pastors and churches of the Central Kenya Conference stated.
“You are strongly advised not to entertain or give them an audience in any of our churches for the sake of peace and unity in the church,” the letter further stated, even as the named members asserted their innocence and denied the claims.
Last week’s bizarre appearance of the head of Police Flying Squad Musa Yego to quell the chaos was an indication of the high stakes in the management of the church's conflict...
Nairobi police chief Philip Ndolo warned that police would arrest and lock up trouble makers during Saturday's church ceremony.
Ndolo asserted that adequate security measures, which he declined to reveal, had been taken to ensure ugly incidents were not witnessed in the church.
Chief Justice David Maraga, Interior CS Fred Matiang’i and Justice Patrick Kiage are among prominent worshipers who are said to have found refuge in SDA Karengata Church in Karen. Last weekend, Senator Sam Ongeri took off immediately chaos erupted.
Other prominent members of the troubled church are Justice Azenath Ongeri, Senator Chris Obure, MPs TJ Kajwang, Simba Arati and Millie Odhiambo, lawyer George Kegoro, Justice (rtd) Samuel Bosire, former PS Bitange Ndemo and Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter’s wife Priscilla Keter.
