A storm is brewing between tenants of houses owned by the Methodist Church in Valley Arcade area, Lavington Nairobi and the institution management.
This is after the church ordered the about 12 tenants on about two acre of piece of land to vacate to allow what they termed as renovations.
But the tenants claim the church leadership plan to lease the land to a popular developer to set up their shopping mall there.
“We know some Methodist officials have cut a deal with the developer to lease the land to enable them erect structures here for business,” said an insider who said they fear the land could be grabbed.
The land is along the prime Gitanga Road.
The presiding bishop Rev Isaya Deye wrote to the tenants saying the Nairobi City County health wellness and nutrition public health sub sector report dated May 22 had directed them carry out thorough repairs and renovations of the existing buildings.
The report also directed the church management to clear all the overgrown vegetation in the premises.
“In light of the above, this letter serves as a notice to vacate the premises within 21 days effective of 27th May 2024 that is by close of business 16″ June 2024,” the vacate notice said.
Deye said failure to vacate will force he landlord shall take over the premises without any further notice and eviction shall be at the tenants’ own cost.
“The security deposit shall be refunded to you on or before 21 days after vacation. But Tenants feel like the church has used city council for malicious removal of them. How can the church sign an agreement with another tenant when our agreements are still valid?” posed one of the tenants.
The county government had granted the church the authority to carry out maintenance works on the plot after the they made an application.
“This letter granting permission to undertake the said repairs does not authorize alterations or additions to the structure and/or plans.”
The estate managers brought a senior police officer from Kileleshwa police station to serve them with the vacation notices.
This is despite the fact that the estate is under Muthangari.
The move has revealed new inside wars, which have erupted bearly months after a former management team was removed from office.
Insiders accuse Deye of being of high handedness despite him coming to office under the pretext of reconciliation and peace. This followed a grueling dispute between parties in the church on the leadership of former team led by presiding bishop Joseph Ntombura.
“The new bishop seems to be clueless on leadership as there are many other parties now mismanaging resources,” said an insider.
We could not get a comment from Deye as he was said to be out of the country.
“This is to request you to prepare comprehensive handing over of any item in your possession, passwords and documents of your department that belong to the Methodist Church in Kenya.
Submit the same to the Presiding Bishop’s office by Monday, 220 April 2024. Kindly comply.”
The Methodist Church in Kenya (MCK) is one of the mainstream churches in Kenya registered under the Societies Act, Cap 108 (Revised 2012) of the Laws of Kenya.
It has its Headquarters in Nairobi with congregations in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. It has the Conference as its governing Body, and is headed by a Presiding Bishop who reports to the standing committee .
The church advertised for services of a qualified and experienced professional external auditor to offer forensic audit services for the period January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2022, which is seen to be targeting Ntombura team.
It said the objective is to put in place a review process to confirm whether or not appropriate accounting and other systems are in place, adequate internal controls are embedded in those systems and all Conference income was collected and utilized for the purposes for which it was intended.
The audit also intended to establish if conference expenditure was in line with laid down rules and regulations, procurement procedures were followed and economy, efficiency and effectiveness were achieved in all acquisitions and church assets exist and that they carry reasonable values.
Insiders say the processes of this intended audit was crooked and revealed it never took place and had been used to sack some staff members.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@kahawatungu.com or WhatsApp +254707482874