Members of Grace-Life empowerment church in Lakeview estate will be forced to find a new worship ground this Sunday as rubble sits where their church once stood.

This comes after a 30 year-long land case that saw a woman identified only as Mrs Wanjohi awarded ownership of the two-and-a-half-acre parcel of land.

According to the leader of the church Pastor Martha Mwangi, the church has existed on said land for 7 years under a lease that allowed them on the land until April 2024.

Read: Lands of Deceit: Helplessness as Nakuru public schools fail to safeguard their land

Speaking to Mtaa Wangu, Ms Jane Njeri narrates how she was busy cleaning the church on Saturday when she suddenly heard a commotion at 11 am. On walking out, Njeri found a group of people pulling out the gate accompanied by two police officers swung in the compound.

Some of Grace-Life empowerment church congregants attempt to salvage building materials after the church was demolished on November 18, 2023.

Photo credit: WINNIE KIMANI/MTAA WANGU

“I heard had rumours that someone wanted to bring down the church which made me suspicious of even the smallest movement. It is so sad that this rumour has now come true,” Njeri laments.

She continues, “One of the police officers instructed us to pick our belongings, little did we know the officer only meant items such as carpets, and not the building materials, she expressed in pain.

Ms Njeri notes bitterly that she does not understand how the building materials were to stand as compensation to the woman who won the land case after a long struggle.

“Are there no rules on how the court should handle a case? Why didn’t they give us notice to vacate?” She asks, seemingly shocked by the sudden ambush.

On her part, Pastor Martha says “On Friday of 17th I was waiting to be told how the case went. Just two weeks before, my church wall was demolished by unknown people. I then decided to get rid of the church all windows and doors ready to vacate.”

Also Read: Lands of Deceit: The day a Lands court Judge fell prey to suspected land grabbers (Part 2)

The troubled pastor insisted on standing on her church premises for one last time, but the police officers blocked her.

Some of the building materials that Pastor Martha was able to secure after her church was demolished.

Photo credit: WINNIE KIMANI/MTAA WANGU

Attempts to get through to Mrs Wanjohi and ask her to allow the congregants collect some of the building materials were also futile as she did not pick Pastor Martha’s calls.

Related: Lands of Deceit: When will our suffering end?

The police officers however insisted that they had been sent to effect a court order that sought to have the church vacate the land.
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Christian faithful left stranded after Lakeview church is demolished

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