Charismatic Archbishop Byrum Makokha's tenure at the Church of God was marked by land feuds, an ugly split within the congregation and outrage that the elderly gentleman chose a 'child bride' aged 35.
Makokha died on Tuesday, at age 88, at the Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu. Death was attributed to multiple ailments. He had high blood pressure, muscle inflammation and tuberculosis and spent three weeks in the ICU.
He was the head of the Church of God in East Africa headquartered in Kima in Vihiga county. It has about a million followers.
Court records reviewed by the Star show that in 2004, then Embakasi MP David Mwenje hived off a portion of land so the archbishop could set up a branch of his church.
Mwenje also gave him building materials and labour to put up a temporary structure to be used for worship on Sundays only between 8am and 2pm.
The land, which should have been a blessing, turned out to be a thorn in his side, giving the archbishop no peace as conflicts over it persisted as he aged.
Over the years, the church became comfortable with the land, but on May 22, 2011, the former MP’s son, Muriithi Mwenje, allegedly led a group of 17 youths to the church compound where they demolished the structure.
It was an attempt to reclaim the land his father had given to the church.
Court documents show the church leadership reported the trespass to the police that day. Five days later, on May 27, church leaders obtained documents, including an allotment letter from the Commissioner of Lands, stating the church to be the legal owner of the land.
Mwenje argued in court that Makokha’s church was a mere licensee who “have been working behind the backs of the defendants (Mwenjes) to get themselves allocated part of the defendant's land after the death of their father".
He also challenged the authenticity of the allotment letter produced by the church.
Muriithi argued that his family had “agreed to purchase for the church an alternative plot which the family of the late David Mwenje did, but due to internal wrangling, the church broke into two factions and could not agree to move to the new location".
The church had sought a mandatory injunction barring the Mwenje family from trespassing on the land. The court dismissed the application, saying the church could not prove ownership.
It is not clear how the two parties settled their differences.
This was not the only land conflict involving the archbishop.
While he supported the push by his executive to sell the church's land in Buruburu, Nairobi, some members rejected the idea. The archbishop was so angry at the opposition that he bought newspaper space to announce the excommunication of 'renegade' church members.
Some called him imperious and said he would brook no dissent.
Then some church members welded shut the doors of the pastor's office.
That's not all.
After the death of his first wife, Joy Adava Makokha, in August 2010, the archbishop decided to remarry in 2014. He was in his 80s.
However, his choice of his 35-year-year bride almost split the church down the middle as some members and pastors complained she was young enough to be his grandchild.
The wedding caused a furore and police had to intervene so the nuptials could proceed.
(Edited by V. Graham)
