The leadership tussle in the African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa (AIPCA) that has been threatening to divide its two million faithful could soon be over after the intervention of President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Speaking at a colourful church service administered by Archbishop-Elect Fredrick Wang’ombe at Gakarara Parish Maragua Diocese, Retired Archbishop Amos Mathenge Kabuthu thanked the president for his timely arbitration noting that the church could not be built on a foundation of conflict.
“I would like to thank the president for listening to the cries of the AIPCA faithful and for his timely intervention. He has instructed me to make sure that Archbishop Wang’ombe unites all the factions that had emerged and ensure that we are one. We have therefore invited all these leaders tomorrow (Monday) at 10 am at our cathedral in Bahati Nairobi to discuss the way forward,” said Kabuthu.
Kabuthu appealed to the AIPCA faithful to accord the new leader all the peace he needed, singling out the church leadership to restrain from being influenced through financial inducement to ignite conflicts.He asked the new leadership to set modalities to amend their constitution as it had greatly contributed to the current conflicts.
“I suggest that the church board sits down and amend our constitution and do away with two centres of power. We need to meet very soon to seek ways of sealing the loopholes that have been causing friction between the archbishop and the national chairman of the church council,” he added.
He dismissed as null and void, next Sunday’s planned consecration of Bishop Julius Njoroge as the new archbishop of the AIPCA saying that he (Kabuthu) was the only authority bestowed to hand over the instruments of power to the new leader.
The new archbishop said that his vision was to uplift the standards of the church and correct the errors of the past. He pointed out that a church that had no vision was as good as dead, adding that among his priorities, was to build a theological university to serve its clergy.
“We need to now focus on uniting the church and coming up with development strategies that will take us to the next level. Let’s join hands with all our brothers and sisters, even those who are opposing us and built a united church. Let us pray for each other and especially pray for those who are differing with us,” said Archbishop Wang’ombe.
