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Citizen Weekly

Sunday 21 September 2014

UNGODLY GOINGS-ON AT BUNYORE ISRAEL CHURCH

Security was tight at Isanda African Israel Church in West Bunyore ward in Emuhaya district when two splinter groups clashed over church management recently.
The two groups, one led by Archbishop John Mwelesa and the other of Evans Chadiva differed over who is the rightful owner of the Isanda Israel Church which is located at the compound of Johnston Sikobe.
It is said the two rival groups differed over the management of the church before they split where one group had to use the church during morning service while the other  would enter the church after the first group left.
What ignited infighting that led into destruction and damages is when the two rival groups met at the church when they started hauling insults at each other, referring to each other as demons (amadimoni) which was the main vocabulary during their church sermons and the subsequent confrontation.
Sikobe who provided the land on which the church stands is blaming Archbishop Chadiva for using his sons to disrupt the church unity.
It is said Chadiva has won the support of some sons of Sikobe who are pushing their father to surrender the church to the leadership of Chadiva.
Sikobe said his two sons Peter and Zacharia are being used by Chadiva to frustrate him and the church.
The old man’s two sons who are also bishops, Amos Sikobe and Paul Sikobe have asked Chadiva to respect their father and vowed there is no way the church will be under his leadership.
They warned their brothers who have joined enemies of their father to leave their father’s church and instead build their own.
 The rival group attacked and damaged the church property before they were cornered by the police and area chief Harrison Anuna.
Mwelesa officially opened the church during its promotion into full regional centre of Israel churches under tight security by administration police. He also used the occasion to ordain some church members to level of deacons.
This come barely a week after Pentecostal Assembly of God in Boyani also split into two which prompted the formation of new PAG church under management of a new archbishop. The new group differed with the management of archbishop of PAG Kenya Patrick Lihanda.

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