Presiding Bishop Joseph Ntombura of the Methodist Church of Kenya is relieved after the High Court barred the Connexional Transition Ad-Hoc Committee (CTAC) from holding any kind of election for his position.
Justice Asenath Ongeri restrained the said committee from usurping any of the lawful mandates of Presiding Bishop Joseph Ntombura and the conference standing committee of the Methodist Church of Kenya.
Ntombura, the church’s leader for the past 12 years, was removed from office on March 29 by the said committee, which was also planning to oversee the election of a new church leader.
The Presiding Bishop, through lawyer Danstan Omari, however, moved to court to challenge his removal, accusing the said Ad-Hoc committee, through one Fredrick Kimathi Muriungi, of mobilising for his removal.
He accused Muriungi and his associates of mobilising and inciting members of the Methodist Church congregation who showed up at the Methodist Church in Kenya Headquarters on March 29 in an attempt to depose him.
Bishop Ntombura claims that the March 29th meeting paralysed him from carrying out his mandate and running the Methodist Church in Kenya.
He accuses the aforementioned committee of issuing threats in recent days, implying a clear rivalry between themselves and him as a Trustee Registered Methodist Church member and the current lawful presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church in Kenya.
“The Respondent, his associates and affiliates, are planning to carry out elections of another presiding Bishop within this week, without them following the laid down procedures of the Methodist Church as per the Methodist Church Constitution and the Standing Orders,” he stated in court documents.
He argued that “unless this Honorable court potently but urgently intervenes and grants the orders sought herein in a bid to nip the aforementioned conduct of the Respondent by himself, his associates and affiliates, the Applicant and the entire Methodist Church in Kenya is poised to suffer immense and irreparable prejudice.”
Justice Ongeri scheduled the hearing for May 9.
