The African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa, which is headed by three archbishops, has called for unity.
Archbishops Julius Njoroge, Fredric Wang'ombe and Samson Muthuri on Tuesday said they will join each other in Gakarara church in Murang'a to drum up unity calls.
Muthuri said that they will achieve this by holding a joint lent olive oil for the year 2022 as a united church before Easter.
He further said that after the unity pact, they will be headed by one archbishop who will be elected.
This is after holding joint election selecting one person to head the church.
Muthuri said they reject the social media articles which have been circulating, saying AIPCA is being intimidated and forced to unite against its will by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
In 2020 President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed retired bishops Lawi Imathiu and Peter Njenga of Methodist Church to lead the talks, but the process failed.
And in 2021 Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho met with the church leaders’ archbishops at Harambe House where they engaged in dialogue and reached a consensus on leadership matters.
“As part of the meditation team we are glad that AIPCA archbishops have finally come to a compromise," Kibicho said.
He said "this will put to an end to the longstanding internal dissensions that have been threatening the stability of the church.”
The mediation process was initiated by AIPCA and AIPCK patron Maina Wandere effectively preventing a split of the independence church.
Njoroge said that, in the cause of the unity efforts, they have structured a system where, after three years, the church will be holding one united election to select one archbishop.
Wang'ombe, on his part, said they have "met all the bishops from the three factions, the officials and our boards and have agreed that the unity of the church is paramount.”
There have been simmering tensions in the camps as the three archbishops have been working separately.
Since their differences emerged in 2017, Archbishop Njoroge has been working from the Diocese of Thika, while his two counterparts have been working from the church’s traditional headquarters in Bahati, Nairobi.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
