NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 25 — President William Ruto has commended his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, for his role in uniting the African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa (AIPCA) ending years of division.
The President mentioned that a section of leaders from the warring faction sought his intervention after mediation efforts collapsed.
Speaking during the celebration of the church’s 100-year anniversary on Sunday, President Ruto revealed that he referred the matter to President Kenyatta and his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua to resolve the stalemate.
“The church delegation came to me, I told them uniting the church is above my capability and told them I would look for the leaders of this country. I looked for President Uhuru Kenyatta and would like to thank him because he played a big role in uniting this church,” Ruto said.
Church coup
The split started after outgoing AIPCA leader, Amos Kabuthu, installed Archbishop Fredrick Wang’ombe as leader of the church despite Archbishop Julius Njoroge Gitau’s election in 2017.
Power struggles caused a section to break away, forming AIPCK under the leadership of Archbishop Julius Njoroge who controlled about 200 churches. Archbishop Wang’ombe’s faction was in control of about 1,500 churches.
The President acknowledged it has been a challenge to support development projects by the pre-independence church due to the disputes.
“We even contributed to the confusion that was in the church at that time because whenever we would be called by Njoroge we would go because he was our friend, if we were called by Wang’ombe we arrived very early because he was our friend,” the President said.
Although President Kenyatta initiated the mediation effort during his tenure, it was Gachagua who in November 2023 successfully ended the stalemate and brokered a deal between the warring factions.
“I am happy because if the church talks in one voice, we know the government is safe,” Gachagua said.
The Deputy President decried what he termed marginalization of AIPCA, one of the oldest churches in the country, by successive regimes.
“This church will be helped to restore its dignity and respect during the tenure of President William Ruto. For that to happen, we must speak in one voice,” Gachagua remarked.