Seth Mwaniki @MwanikiM
Hundreds of Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) faithful from Mt Kenya West diocese yesterday held a peaceful protest in Nyeri over a defamation case filed by three defrocked clergymen.
Waving placards, the faithful marched in the town as a show of solidarity with Bishop Joseph Kagunda, who is facing a defamation case in court against three clergy suspended for allegedly engaging in homosexuality.
The protesters said they will not allow the church to be divided, vowing to stand with their Bishop. The protesters earlier thronged a Nyeri court where the defamation case was being mentioned. The three clergymen claim their reputation was tarnished when the church read out their dismissal letters before the congregation and the media.
Yesterday, church lawyer Wachira Nderitu and David Onsare, representing the three clergymen, asked the court to grant them two months to file more documents before the case proceeds to a pretrial conference.
The 60 day, which was granted, will allow the two parties to carry out a pre-trial exercise that includes filing of new documents and exchange witness statements.
Early last month, Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nyeri ordered the church to reinstate the three — Archdeacon John Njogu, reverends Paul Mwangi and James Maina — and pay them Sh2 million each as compensation. Justice Bryam Ongaya ruled that the three be paid their salaries from the time they were dismissed that was accruing to Sh800,000.
They were suspended by the church leadership on August 2015 over homosexuality allegations but they moved to court on grounds that the church constitution was not adhered to when they were being suspended, adding that the rule to natural justice was violated.
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