AG Oduor: Kenya Church Disputes Surge, Elections 'Brutal, Fatal'

• Attorney General Dorcas Oduor reports nearly 60 new churches are registered monthly in Kenya, accompanied by a rise in violent leadership disputes.
• These disputes frequently arise during church elections and often lead to legal challenges when internal resolution mechanisms fail.
• Specific cases include the Methodist Church of Kenya's Singwaya Synod bishop dispute and the Anglican Church of Kenya's Maseno East bishop challenge, both requiring court intervention.
• Police were deployed during a contested Methodist Church election in Changamwe, Mombasa, in October 2025 due to disagreements and alleged interference.
• The AG's comments align with broader national concerns about religious oversight, prompted by the 2023 Shakahola tragedy and the subsequent establishment of a regulatory review taskforce.

Her observations point to a growing crisis in governance across the religious sector, where disagreements over leadership positions, electoral processes, and the interpretation of church constitutions are increasingly being brought before the courts.

Attorney General Dorcas Oduor has highlighted a significant challenge facing Kenya's rapidly expanding religious landscape: a surge in bitter and often violent leadership disputes within churches. The Attorney General revealed that nearly 60 new religious organizations are registered each month, a rate of growth that is unfortunately mirrored by an increasing number of internal conflicts. These disagreements frequently escalate during church elections, prompting rival factions to seek legal intervention.

Ms. Oduor underscored the severity of these internal power struggles, noting that church elections can be "brutal, sometimes fatal," and "very violent." Her observations point to a growing crisis in governance across the religious sector, where disagreements over leadership positions, electoral processes, and the interpretation of church constitutions are increasingly being brought before the courts. While religious bodies are typically expected to resolve internal matters through their own established rules and dispute resolution mechanisms, a significant number of leadership contests are now bypassing these internal processes, landing in the judicial system when opposing groups cannot agree on the legitimacy of appointments or election outcomes. This trend underscores a critical need for improved Kenya religious organisation governance.

Numerous high-profile cases illustrate the depth of these church election legal challenges Kenya. The Methodist Church of Kenya, for instance, has been embroiled in several such disputes. In August 2025, the High Court in Malindi intervened to affirm Reverend Semi Salat's position as Bishop of the Singwaya Synod, issuing an order to restrain Reverend Genatone Funanana from acting as bishop or interfering with the synod's operations. This particular Methodist Church Kenya leadership dispute originated from a contentious leadership process, with the court noting that the church's 57th Annual Conference proceedings had previously been invalidated by a consent order due to insufficient notice and other procedural breaches.

Regional divisions have also surfaced within the Methodist Church. December 2024 saw the church's Coast Region Conference fractured by disputes, leading the Mombasa Synod to disassociate itself and refuse participation in certain activities until its grievances were addressed. At a more local level, a contested Methodist Church election in Changamwe, Mombasa, in October 2025, necessitated police deployment due to disagreements among members regarding the conduct of the exercise and allegations of interference. Similarly, the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) has faced an Anglican Church Kenya bishop challenge. In December 2024, the High Court in Kisumu issued a temporary injunction preventing the consecration and enthronement of Bernard Owuor as Bishop of the ACK Diocese of Maseno East, following a challenge alleging breaches of church rules during his nomination and election process. These instances collectively demonstrate how internal church elections can evolve into protracted legal battles when the legitimacy of the electoral process is questioned by competing factions.

Attorney General Oduor's remarks about the escalating AG Oduor Kenya church disputes come amidst a broader national conversation regarding the oversight of religious organizations. This heightened scrutiny follows the tragic events of Shakahola in 2023, where hundreds of followers of self-proclaimed pastor Paul Mackenzie died due to extreme teachings. The Shakahola incident ignited a nationwide debate concerning the registration, regulation, and overall oversight framework for religious bodies in Kenya.

In response to these profound concerns, the government established a Presidential Taskforce on the Review of the Legal and Regulatory Framework Governing Religious Organisations. This taskforce was specifically mandated to examine the existing processes for registering and regulating religious entities. With the continuous registration of dozens of new churches each month, the effectiveness of current oversight mechanisms remains a significant question, underscoring the ongoing need for robust religious regulation and governance. The work of the Shakahola religious regulation taskforce is therefore crucial in shaping the future landscape of religious practice and accountability in Kenya.

Lawyers should anticipate a growing demand for legal services related to internal governance, election disputes, and constitutional challenges within Kenyan religious organizations. Compliance officers in religious bodies must ensure robust internal dispute resolution mechanisms to mitigate increasing litigation risks.

Source: Original reporting via Kenyan news outlets.