Christians in the Anglican diocese of Maseno West have called on their bishop to convene an urgent special synod meeting to deliberate on the division of the See.
The Christians, among them priests and laity at the same time accused the head of the diocese, Right Reverend John Mark Haung Godia of lying to the public that he was yet to receive official demand for the creation of the Maseno Central diocese from the current Maseno West.
Addressing the media separately, Christians from Got Regea arch-deaconry led by Venerable Simon Omondi Otiang and retired arch-deacon Paul Okinyo and the chaplain of the technical university of Kenya, Rev. Charlton Ochola said the demand for the new diocese could not be wished away.
Rev. Ochola, who talked to Kenya News Agency in Siaya town today, urged the bishop to table the matter before the diocesan synod for deliberation as stipulated in the church constitution.
“The matter must be tabled before the synod where a vote will be taken before the results and recommendations are forwarded to Nairobi for ratification,” said Rev. Ochola adding that they will not accept to be muzzled by forces opposed to their demands.
He said that the church could not be led by lies and called on the leadership of the diocese of Maseno West to be truthful.
“I was in a team that presented the bishop with the letter demanding the hiving off of Got Regea arch-deaconry to form a new diocese,” he said adding that he was shocked to hear the Bishop denying receiving such a letter.
Speaking separately in Mindhine in Gem Sub County, the committee spearheading calls for creation of a new diocese said all the 22 parishes in the arch-deaconry are in support of the initiative.
The committee, led by Archdeacon Paul Okinyo said that they have stopped financial remittances to the diocesan headquarters as part of measures to exert pressure on the Bishop to heed to their demand.
Okinyo said their demand for separation was not new as it was first mooted in the early 1990s.
Maseno West Anglican diocese has been dogged with controversies since last year when Rt. Rev. Godia was elected to succeed Rt. Rev. Otieno Wasonga.
Apart from Got Regea Archdeaconry, Ng’iya archdeaconry has also been agitating for a new diocese and already, its leaders have also stopped financial remittances to the diocesan headquarters.
Bishop Godia, reacting to the calls for separation, has been calling for a sober approach to the issue, saying that the law will have to be followed.
By Philip Onyango
