PAG Church elects new head after six years of leadership wrangles

Clerics vote during Pentecostal Assemblies of God Kenya (PAG-K) church elections at Nyang'ori Mission headquarters in Vihiga October 1, 2024. [Brian Kisanji, Standard]

Reverend Kenneth Adiara has been elected as the new General Superintendent of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God Kenya (PAG-K), securing 2,472 votes.

He defeated Christopher Kilasi, who garnered 1,138 votes, while the incumbent, Bishop Patrick Lihanda, came in a distant third with only 120 votes.

On Tuesday, thousands of clerics gathered at the Nyang'ori Mission headquarters in Vihiga to participate in the voting process. Delegates cast their ballots for the General Superintendent, along with a General Secretary and a General Treasurer.

In the race for General Treasurer, incumbent Julius Rono retained his position with 1,460 votes, defeating Cornelius Simiyu (1,238 votes) and Isaiah Kipsang (1,059 votes).

Similarly, Richard Obwogi, the incumbent General Secretary, kept his seat with 2,164 votes against Isaac Nyakundi (1,560 votes) and Wycliffe Nyandega (44 votes).

Rev. Adiara will now join Rono and Obwogi in leading the church, which encompasses over 4,000 assemblies nationwide, for a five-year term.

Gone missing

In his victory speech, he expressed his commitment to uniting the church, which has faced numerous internal conflicts for years.

"We expect to have change by building on what is already there and by uniting the church through prayers," Adiara stated.

The elections took place amidst an ongoing investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) into the alleged abduction of outgoing General Superintendent Lihanda.

A police report from Mbale Police Station indicated that Lihanda went missing under mysterious circumstances. Close associates revealed that he left the Nyang'ori PAG headquarters around 4pm for a meeting in Mbale town. His driver later received a distress message indicating that Lihanda's life was in danger.

When the bishop's phone went silent, the driver reported the situation to the police, prompting DCI officers to track the phone's location to Mumias, where Lihanda's vehicle, eyeglasses, diary and Bible were discovered.

Having led the church for over ten years, Lihanda faced considerable resistance during his second term.

He was re-elected in March 2019 despite a court order suspending the election and was accused by rivals of clinging to power and seeking a third term.

Court battles

Church members can breathe a sigh of relief, hoping that this election marks the end of six years of leadership disputes. The church has been embroiled in court battles since 2019, and on July 11, a Vihiga court ordered that elections be conducted within 90 days, according to the church's 1998 constitution.

The elections were overseen by the Registrar of Societies and an Electoral Committee chaired by Bishop Calisto Odede of the Christ Is The Answer Ministries (CITAM).

In announcing the results, Bishop Odede urged the new leadership to embrace unity and dialogue to foster growth within the church, particularly in Vihiga County.

"We pray for the church and its new leadership that God will grant you wisdom in all your endeavours and help you formulate a new constitution that will make you self-reliant," Odede said.

The leadership wrangles within the church can be traced back to 2019, following disagreements over the election of the General Superintendent and officials in more than 128 church districts nationwide.