• The Oloiborosioto elders accused the South East Conference and the South Kenya Conference of neglecting them
• The congregants are also unhappy with the way their migration from South Kenya Conference was orchestrated
A contingent of security officers was deployed in Kilgoris at the weekend as tension gripped the Oloiborosioto Seventh Day Adventist church leadership.
"You are unwelcome" is the message that welcomed visiting SDA South East Conference leaders as the congregants denounced them.
The group was on a mission to win the congregation back to their leadership. The Oloiborosioto faithful want to break away and join the Nairobi Cosmopolitan Conference.
The Oloiborosioto elders accused the South East Conference and the South Kenya Conference of neglecting them.
They said they had been without a shepherd for a year.
“We have been without a pastor for one full year and every time we raised this issue nobody was willing to assist. Even during the camp meeting, we made local arrangements,” elder Meshack Kipteng said.
The congregants are also unhappy with the way their migration from South Kenya Conference was orchestrated.
“We had reservations of being moved and they should have listened to us. They are only coming too late and with GSU officers to cow us into submission,” Kipteng said.
Church clerk Ruth Marai, in a letter to NCC, said they had been unhappy with the way they were being managed at the two local conferences, hence the move to delink themselves.
“As a church we wanted leadership that will take care of the interests of its members out here, not keeping quiet as we hurt,” said Marai.
Kiteng asked the leaders to come on a different date but not on a Saturday, the day of worship.
“They have only come after seeing the letter seeking secession from them and they arrive with policemen who scare children from the church.”
He accused them of coming like goons. We have decided to move out for good. We are under NCC,” he told the Star.
The Seventh Day Adventist world church office in Maryland, Washington, has since denounced the NCC.