New twist as court suspends directive to deregister Pastor Ezekiel's church

Piece by: SUSAN MUHINDI
News

• Odero filed a new application on Monday and resorted to withdrawing the earlier one which he had filed on August 20.

• The judge issued the order in a bid to interrogate whether the process leading to deregistration was consistent with the law and whether it was legal and fair to Odero.

Pastor Ezekiel
Image: The-Star

Pastor Ezekiel Odero has obtained an order from the High Court suspending the directive of the Registrar of Societies that deregistered his Church.

Odero filed a new application on Monday and resorted to withdrawing the earlier one which he had filed on August 20.

The judge issued the order in a bid to interrogate whether the process leading to deregistration was consistent with the law and whether it was legal and fair to Odero.

Justice Jairus Ngaah in the fresh application said "Upon perusal of material placed before the court in support of the application, I am persuaded to exercise my discretion and allow the applicants to challenge the gazette notice dated August 18, 2023, whose purport is to deregister the society referred to as New Life Prayer Center and Church."

The fresh application has been filed by Franklin Kilonzo, Alice Nafula Wanyama and Pastor Ezekiel Odero.

Kilonzo is the chairman, Nafula the treasurer and Odero the secretary of Newlife Prayer Center and Church. They have sued the Registrar and the Attorney General.

The three in their court papers argued that the gazette notice cancelling the church registration was published yet they did not receive any notice of their intentions against the church.

Odero claims he was not given a chance to present his case in defence of the church. The three also faulted the Registrar for failing to avail the church's file in a bid to file returns.

Justice Ngaah said respondents will have seven days to file their responses in the case which will be mentioned September 20 for further directions.

Through Lawyer Danstan Omari, the three further acknowledged to filing a similar suit which has since been withdrawn.

In that suit, Pastor Odero was the only party. He had sued the Registrar and the Attorney General.

The court had declined to suspend the directive and set a mention date for the case next month.

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