This archive report was first published on 25 August 2019.
On August 24, 2019, worship at the Nairobi Central SDA Church in Nairobi, Kenya, proceeded without interruption, despite a significant number of worshipers choosing to stay away. The church, which has long been associated with high-ranking government officials and business leaders, was only half full.
Notably, the heavy police presence that had characterized worship services at the church for the past three weeks had been significantly reduced. Unlike in previous weeks, when both uniformed and plainclothes police officers were deployed to provide security, only two GSU officers were present on August 24.
Senior Pastor Jean Maiywa, who has claimed that his life is in danger, was also absent from the church on August 24. Maiywa had previously recorded statements with Kilimani DCI officers, alleging that members of a rival group were planning to kill him.
On August 23, 10 senior members of the church, including two retired military officers, a doctor, professors, and a former Postmaster General, were summoned to Kilimani Police Station to record statements with the police over the death claims. They denied the allegations leveled against them by Maiywa.
The police had written to the church management on August 23, demanding CCTV footage from August 20, when a worshiper allegedly stormed into the church armed with a pistol and a knife. The incident had allegedly left Maiywa feeling threatened.
