Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Kenyans.co.ke
Published on 2024-03-08 14:58:48
A tense situation unfolded at the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church in Saika West, Nairobi County on Friday, March 8, leading to a clash between dissatisfied congregants and the church management. The conflict arose after a group of church members disrupted a meeting, intending to challenge the authority of the church elders.
The disruption escalated into a physical altercation between the elders and the congregants, with the preacher’s attempts to intervene proving futile as he himself was assaulted by some of the members. Accusations were leveled at the church hierarchy, with a section of congregants claiming that the leadership was unwilling to step down to allow for fresh board elections.
During the chaotic brawl that ensued, multiple individuals suffered injuries, causing significant damage to the church premises. The altercation persisted for several minutes, resulting in three individuals sustaining critical injuries, one of whom suffered severe head trauma.
The root of the conflict stemmed from an incident where a church member donated Ksh12.5 million as tithe. The congregants accused the management of mismanaging the funds by not adhering to the agreed upon allocation plan for the money. According to one member, the funds were meant to be divided between fieldwork and in-house development, with a portion earmarked for each purpose.
“There is some money here that we received, about Ksh12.5 million and this money is supposed to be divided into two categories. A share of it for fieldwork and the other part for church development,” stated a church member. The member went on to explain, “3.77 million was meant for field work but was not utilized in the fieldwork. The money was also used to purchase this building worth 7.5 million. Even to purchase this building they wanted the money to be added.”
Additionally, the church leadership was accused of engaging in assault, with reports indicating that a case of assault had been lodged at the Molemn police station. The situation at the Saika West Seventh Day Adventist church highlighted deep-seated tensions between the congregants and the management, underscoring the need for transparent financial practices and effective communication within the church community. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of accountability and proper governance in religious institutions to prevent further conflicts and promote harmony among members.
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