Cleric goes missing hours to PAG elections

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Vihiga and Kakamega counties have launched a probe into the alleged abduction of Pentecostal Assemblies of God-Kenya (PAG-K) Bishop Patrick Lihanda.

The alleged mysterious disappearance of the cleric came hours to an election where he was set to face two other candidates as he sought to defend his seat in the polls set for today.

A police report made on Saturday evening at Mbale Police Station shows that Bishop Lihanda had gone missing under mysterious circumstances.

According to his close friends and staff, the bishop left the Nyang’ori PAG headquarters at 4 pm, Saturday, on his way to a meeting in Mbale town in Vihiga County.

His driver told police that he later received a distress message from Lihanda that his life was in danger.

The bishop’s phone would later go off leading the driver to report the matter at Mbale Police Station.

“When the bishop failed to answer my second message I decided to report the issue to police,” said Felix Adoli, Lihanda’s driver.

This prompted the DCI officers to track the bishop’s phone’s location to Mumias where his vehicle, eye-glasses, diary and bible were found.

Mumias sub county police commander, Stephen Muoni, confirmed that Lihanda’s vehicle, a white Mercedes Benz was found abandoned at Shibale trading centre in Mumias, Kakamega County.

“The vehicle’s headlights were still on, but there were no occupants. We are investigating what happened,” said Muoni.

The alleged abduction comes just hours before the highly contested PAG-K elections scheduled for today, at the Nyang’ori church headquarters in Vihiga.

Faithful across the country associated with the church were hoping to see an end of a six- year top leadership wrangles.

The church has been in court for six years and on July 11 a Vihiga court ordered the church to conduct its elections within 60 days as per its constitution of 1998.

This election was to be overseen by the Registrar of Societies and a committee chaired by a senior cleric of the Nairobi Pentecostal Church.

A ruling by Justice Jacqueline Nancy Kamau was meant to end the six-year wrangles and have legally recognised office bearers.

During the August’s General Superintendent (bishop) nominations, the PAG church Kawangware district overseer, Kenneth Adiara, emerged winner after garnering 1,670 votes, against Dr Christopher Kilasi’s 1,288.
The incumbent bishop, Lihanda was third with 1,040 votes.

Lihanda in a letter to the Registrar of Societies and the electoral committee had contested the results.

The three face-off with more than 4,000 delegates composing of pastors and district overseers casting their votes.