Police blocked clerics and worshippers from congregating at a church on Wednesday, October 2, for a two-day prayer meeting.
Reports by Daily Nation indicated that anti-riot police barred the men of the cloth from the Pentecostal Assemblies of God (PAG) headquarters in Nyang’ori, Vihiga County, from holding a two-day prayer meeting.
This comes after Vihiga County Commissioner, Susan Waweru on Tuesday stopped the gathering after intelligence reports disclosed that chaos could erupt and "lead to bloodshed".
Reverend Patrick Lihanda had called for the meeting that was to come to a close on Thursday, October 3, despite the ban by the county commissioner, which resulted in the deployment of police.
The armed law enforcers manned the gate and turned away pastors who had showed up for the meeting.
The church that boasted a membership of 3 million and 5,000 pastors had been immersed in wrangles over the alleged misappropriation Ksh300 million meant for its pastors' retirement scheme.
The reverend, however, accused the county commissioner of blocking a prayer gathering, stating that she was working with the rival group led by his Reverend Nathan Ondego, the administrator of the pension scheme.
Waweru, however, defended her decision arguing that she banned the meeting, because of the church’s longstanding dispute.
She also disclosed that the sighting of goons armed with swords and arrows being ferried to the premises prompted the ban.
The county security committee chairperson recounted an incident when one of the pastors who was in possession of a gun, shooting into the air to forcefully gain entry into the church premises.
“We have enough reasons, the church has been fighting and has pending cases in court, and the wrangles are still unresolved. Our work as security is to ensure the safety of people, be it a pastor or bishop. They are pastors and cannot agree to observe peace,” she mocked.
