This archive report was first published on 11 August 2019.
On August 10, 2019, the Nairobi Central SDA Church was closed indefinitely by the Nairobi Police Chief Philip Ndolo, following a heated argument between worshipers and police outside the church.
According to the police chief, worshipers would only be allowed back into the church once the warring parties had agreed to a ceasefire.
Armed policemen were deployed to the church to prevent worshipers from gaining access, with some officers in uniform and others patrolling the area with sniffer dogs and guns.
Disappointed guests, including international attendees who had traveled from as far as Canada and Australia, were forced to congregate at the St Georges Primary school for a scheduled conference that could not proceed.
Outside the church gates, a group of visibly agitated women assaulted a Standard Photo Journalist and a K24 cameraman, with one woman slapping a journalist and attempting to grab his camera.
Notable politicians and civil servants who regularly pray at the church were absent, except for Karachuonyo MP Adipo Okuome, who arrived at the venue shortly after 11am to find other worshipers locked out of the gates.
