Faithful of Bahari Pentecostal Church in Tudor Kaa Chonjo, Mombasa Constituency failed to hold services because of disruptions linked to leadership wrangles.
The members held a holy peaceful march protest and later gathered to worship outside their church to protest the closure of their church , which they call a violation of their freedom of worship constitutional rights.
Led by Evangelist Vincent Matete, the faithful said they have been praying outside the closed church for three consecutive Sundays after their church was closed through a court order.
Evangelist Matete is now accusing five church elders, who defrocked themselves from the church three years ago, of antagonizing their freedom of worship.
The five said members resurfaced through the court of Mombasa and obtained a court order barring anyone to worship in the church.
He said the four elders defrocked themselves from the church three years ago on the grounds the presiding church priest lacked pastoral credulity to lead the flock.
Matete argued that the four members ceased to be members of the church through the church constitution for being absent from the church for more than six months and failing to pay church tithe as stipulated.
According to the court order, the five members who were the church trustee namely Hudson Muhavi,Joshua Lumula,Anna Kanyanga and Judith Khaso moved to Mombasa court for a civil suit to halt church services until their case against the church presiding priest Evans Manyenyo is mentioned on 19th October this year.
The court order was issued on 2nd September by Mombasa Law Court Magistrate Hon J.B Kyalo ordering OCS Makupa Police station to close the church.
“We urge the aggrieved church members to sort their differences amicably and open the church,we all contributed for the construction of the church but now we have been left stranded without a place to conduct our church affairs,” said Matete.
Wins Mark, a youth Evangelist said the five members frustrating them left the church three years ago and should not antagonize us with their differences with our church bishop.
“If you have an issue with me, address the differences with me amicably instead of violating our freedom of worship through the church closure,” pointed out Mark.
Felistus Nyangweso,a church Sunday School teacher said the children have been left without a place to organize and oversee Sunday school and bible study lessons.
Mary Mwanyala, a church Deaconess said the closure of the church has curtailed women leadership affairs services in the church and denied hundreds of Kaa Chonjo informal settlements residents a place which used to be their source of spiritual nourishment.
The Church Faithful are now seeking the indulgence of supreme court Chief Justice Martha Koome arguing the court case is malicious and unwarranted.