This archive report was first published on 24 December 2019.
December 24, 2019
The Anglican Church Mt Kenya West Diocese has marked the end of a long-running dispute involving homosexuality, a year that will be remembered as historical for the church.
The court battle, which started in 2015, saw Bishop Joseph Kagunda being cited for contempt and sentenced to six months' civil jail by Judge Nzioki wa Makau of the Employment and Labour Relations Court sitting in Nyeri.
However, the bishop's security detail was ordered to eject three journalists, including the author, out of the courtroom for being in possession of a camera.
After sentencing the bishop, who was robed in his official ceremonial clothes, the church Chancellor Wachira Nderitu immediately applied for a stay of the execution of the committal order, which was granted by the judge.
The court bailiff had already whisked the bishop away and was processing him for accommodation in prison, but the sentence was later lifted.
The bishop had been found guilty of disobeying orders issued by Justice Byram Ongaya on October 30, 2016, directing him to reinstate three clerics to their pastoral duties after he sacked them for allegedly engaging in homosexuality.
The church-registered trustee had also been directed to pay the clerics Sh6.8 million as compensation for damaging their reputations.
After the prison scare, the bishop redeployed the three to ministerial duties while the Church Trustee paid them the damages.
However, the three clergymen faced hostility and were forced to flee after resuming pastoral duties.
Later, the bishop and the judge met during the funeral service of Lands Court judge Ndung'u Mukunya at St Peter's ACK Cathedral church in Nyeri town.
When judge Makau's turn to introduce himself came, he said,
