Tussle over church’s name rages on in court
A bishop has been accused of lodging a case seeking to have a church deregistered so he could in turn benefit by taking possession of the its affiliate.
The Rev Kepha Omae, presiding bishop of Reedemed Gospel Church Inc. said the suit filed by Bishop Morris Mwarandu was only intended to enable him take over the Lord’s Gathering Centre, which is an affiliate of the RGC Inc.
“He wants Redeemed Gospel Church Inc. deregistered so that he can lay claim to Lord’s Gathering Centre on Outering Road, Nairobi,” said Rev Omae.
Bishop Mwarandu, suing as the head of the Lord’s Gathering Centre, claimed that the founder of Redeemed Church, Dr Arthur Kitonga registered a similar church, called Redeemed Gospel Church Inc., to run the original church’s business affairs.
Bishop Mwarandu is seeking court orders to compel the Registrar of Companies to cancel the Redeemed Gospel Church Inc certificate of incorporation.
Responding to the suit file at the High Court, Rev Omae, however, said the church was first registered in 1975.
He added that Bishop Mwarandu had not demonstrated how the name now offended him or how it had infringed on his right to worship.