Clerics sue Archbishop Jackson ole Sapit over bishop election
What you need to know:
Reverends Emmanuel Wanje Nzaka, George Gonah Kuza and Tom Komora Dawa want the planned consecration of Rev Alphonse Mwaro Baya put on hold until their court case is heard and determined.
The dispute over the consecration of a new bishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Mombasa Diocese has gone a notch higher.
Three pastors have sued Archbishop Jackson ole Sapit, seeking to stop him from consecrating the priest who was declared the winner of a recent election. Dr Sapit is the primate of the ACK.
NEW BISHOP
Reverends Emmanuel Wanje Nzaka, George Gonah Kuza and Tom Komora Dawa want the planned consecration of Rev Alphonse Mwaro Baya put on hold until their court case is heard and determined.
According to the application, the election for the Bishop of ACK Mombasa Diocese was conducted on December 9 and Rev Baya declared the winner. They say Rev Baya is set to be consecrated on January 7 and they have raised several allegations touching on his electoral conduct which, if allowed, would nullify the election.
“The first defendant (Rev Baya) specifically lobbied for the election of the Electoral College who would, in turn, ensure his victory,” the application reads.
The three applicants, who have also sued outgoing Mombasa Bishop Julius Katoi Kalu, say unless the consecration is stopped and they are allowed to present the case, the matter would be an academic exercise.
In his supporting affidavit, a congregate of ACK Somali Parish, Rabai, Mr Martin Donald Denje, said that some time in October, he received a call from a vicar-general informing him that he had been selected as a member of a search committee.
VET AND SHORTLIST CANDIDATES
“The purpose of the search committee was to vet the candidates and shortlist three of them for balloting by the Electoral College, who are members of the standing committee of the synod,” said Mr Denje.
He added that on the day of vetting, they were instructed on how to rank the candidates, including awarding even numbers with no contestant getting grade 10.
“To my surprise, five out of 12 candidates gave the Rev Baya 90 per cent and others less than 25 per cent,” said Mr Denje. “I then realised that there was a big problem in vetting.”
Mr Denje claims that Rev Baya compromised the election since he contacted some members of the search committee, who awarded him the highest marks while he did not deserve it.
He said Rev Mwaro unfairly influenced search committee members from other dioceses to favour him over his rivals.
The congregant added that he was informed by a pastor that Rev Baya had sent messages to the synod members to elect specific people to the standing committee of the synod, who would constitute the Electoral College.
The parties will highlight their submissions on December 29.
