Kenyan Bishop Ousted
Clergy and laypeople of the Methodist Church of Kenya stormed the denomination's offices in Nairobi March 30 and forced Bishop Joseph Ntombura Mwaine out of office.
A video of the event shows dozens of people walking to the church's Nairobi ministry center and gathering on its steps to announce Bishop Mwaine's ouster. The group was led by retired Kenya Methodist Bishop Law Imathiu, 90, a widely respected figure throughout world Methodism.
According to The Nation, a Nairobi newspaper: "The Methodist Church in Kenya has removed Presiding Bishop Joseph Ntombura Mwaine from his position after he allegedly refused to step down after 10 years of service.
"A delegation from the church visited Bishop Ntombura in his office and declared that it was time he relinquished his position. The bishop was accused of refusing to hand over power to his successor."
The March 30 article by Mercy Simiyu continued:
"During a press briefing, Bishop Zablon Nthamburi confirmed that the tenure of the former presiding bishop, Joseph Ntumbura Mwaine, ended on August 3, 2022.
"Bishop Ntombura announced his resignation on Saturday, and as a result, he is not permitted to enter the ministries centre until the conference standing committee summons him to hand over.
"The church took over its conference with immediate effect and has endorsed the Connexional Transition Ad-Hoc Committee (CTAC) to manage the office until a new presiding bishop is elected."
Read: Methodist Church of Kenya: Inside the fight for Sh500bn congregation
Previously, Religion News Service correspondent Frederick Nwili reported on the turmoil within the Methodist Church of Kenya, which has ties to The United Methodist Church through projects such as the Maua Methodist Hospital in Meru County and Kenya Methodist University.
A request for comment emailed to the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries about the status of UMC relations with the Methodist Church of Kenya was not answered as of March 31. The Global Ministries website currently lists three open missionary postings in Kenya, two for nurses at Maua Hospital and one for a teacher and manager at Living Hope High School in Nairobi.
The Rev. Donald E. Messer, retired United Methodist clergy who directs the Center for Health and Hope, told United Methodist Insight in an email that his organization "invests considerable funding through programs related to the KMU in dealing with HIV and its ramifications." According to Dr. Messer, "The Center for Health and Hope supports and advocates for persons living with HIV & AIDS throughout the world through programs of education, prevention, care and treatment."
Nwili quoted Misheck Kobia Michubu, the steward of the Kawangware Circuit in Nairobi, regarding the decline of Methodist institutions under Bishop Mwaine's administration. In particular, Michubu cited Kenya Methodist University's decline.
"During Ntombura's tenure as presiding bishop, which also includes the role of university chancellor, the student population of the school has declined from 13,000 to less than 3,000, and five campuses have closed, according to Michubu," Nwili wrote.
Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011 as a media channel for marginalized and under-served United Methodists.