This archive report was first published on 15 July 2019.
Published on July 15, 2019, Legio Maria Popes Romanus Ongombe and Raphael Adika have ended their two-month truce, marking a return to the leadership wrangles that have plagued the sect.
According to Pope Ongombe, the handshake, which was meant to bring an end to the leadership disputes, has not yielded the desired results. Speaking at the church headquarters in Gotkweru, Suna, Migori County, Pope Ongombe stated that he is not ready to take up the church elder position, which would leave the seat of the pope to Adika.
Instead, Pope Ongombe has called for the two factions to continue running their activities independently, as previously ordered by the court. This announcement has elicited mixed reactions from his close confidants, with some claiming that the pope was under duress from a section of the church leaders.
Legio Maria East Africa Chairman Joseph Warambo and the sect's Attorney General Michael Onditi have also disputed Pope Ongombe's decision, stating that it cannot be reached without their approval.
