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Kisii Church Split Over Leadership

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Published on Thursday, 07 April 2011 23:28

Two factions are fighting over leadership of Iterio Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kenya in Kisii. Police had to be called to separate the two groups who were holding meetings at Ogango Centre in Nyamira after a confrontation.

Claims of graft, struggle for leadership and division of the South West Diocese are some of the issues facing the church. The split was caused by alleged abuse of office which led to the suspension of the incumbent pastor Thomas Asiago last year. Following the suspension, Pastor Asiago moved challenged the decision by the church head office in court and the case is still going on. Asiago has allegedly refused to have the diocese split into Nyamira and South West diocese. A section of the clergy opposed to Asiago's leadership, in a closed door meeting, resolved to cede ground to avoid having parallel congregations.