By Kevin Sang, Eldoret
Nearly 100 bishops from various denominations in Uasin Gishu County staged a protest on Friday, condemning the escalating cases of land grabbing targeting places of worship and educational institutions. The protest followed the demolition of Logos Revival Ministries Church and the Princedom Education Centre, located on Eldoret Municipality Block 12/288, which resulted in the destruction of property worth over Ksh 70 million.
The religious leaders, led by Bishop Peter Simwa, expressed their outrage over the incident that occurred on December 19, 2024. According to Simwa, the family of the disputed land mobilized a group of goons and 50 armed police officers to execute the demolitions, despite a court injunction barring such actions.
“This is unjust, and the Ministry of Lands must intervene immediately to ensure such violations do not continue,” ~ Likavo.
“We are gathered here to condemn the recent demolitions of the Logos Revival Ministries Church and the Princedom Education Centre,” said Simwa. “These acts of violence and disregard for the law are unacceptable.”
Court injunction ignored
Bishop Joseph Likavo criticized the manner in which the demolitions were carried out, describing them as hasty and unlawful. He called on government authorities to address the issue of land grabbing and the rampant double allocation of title deeds.
“This is unjust, and the Ministry of Lands must intervene immediately to ensure such violations do not continue,” said Likavo.
Decades of legal disputes
Bishop Agrey Watindi of Logos Revival Ministries explained that the church had legally acquired the disputed land 23 years ago, paying all dues to the previous owner, who is now deceased. However, for the past eight years, the church has been locked in a legal battle with the deceased owner’s family.
“They have used dubious means to target this parcel of land due to its proximity to the road and its investments worth millions,” Watindi said. “Schools are reopening in a few days, and now hundreds of children have no place to report to, while thousands of congregants have no sanctuary for prayers. This is a grave injustice.”
Call for government intervention
Bishop Christopher Mutai highlighted that several churches in the region are facing similar challenges and called on the National Land Commission to protect title deeds from fraudulent claims. He also urged the government to streamline the adjudication process for land disputes.
“The church must be protected from such illegal actions. We need a comprehensive review of title allocations and immediate action from the government,” said Mutai.
Defending the demolition
Joan Chepkorir, a representative of the plaintiff Rodah Cheptonui Lang’at, defended the family’s actions, claiming they had followed due court processes. However, the bishops questioned the validity of these claims, citing the court injunction that had prohibited any action on the property.
Appeal for justice
The bishops are calling for swift government action to safeguard places of worship and schools from land disputes. They demand justice for the affected congregants and schoolchildren, many of whom have been displaced.
“This is about more than land, it is about the rights of communities to worship and educate their children without fear of losing their sanctuaries,” said Watindi.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage in Uasin Gishu County, with calls for the Ministry of Lands and the National Land Commission to intervene and ensure justice is served.
