This archive report was first published on 22 April 2020.
Cardinal Alphonseus Romanus Ong'ombe's burial in April 2020 was expected to bring an end to the leadership wrangles in Legio Maria church, but the disputes continue.
According to sources, top leaders in the church were split on who should officiate at the burial ceremony, with a faction opposing Pope Raphael Adika's involvement.
Adika has been at the center of a leadership battle with Ong'ombe since 2009, and the dispute has been ongoing for over a decade.
Despite Ong'ombe's death, the leadership feuds continue, with factions positioning themselves for control of the church's funds, which run into millions of shillings.
Cardinal Lawrence Ochieng has been named as the interim head of the church, but his appointment has been met with opposition from some factions.
Other leaders caught in the leadership mess include Bishop of Nairobi Diocese Rt Reverend Peter Joseph Onyango, who is allied to Adika, and Joseph Warambo, chairman of the sect.
The two factions have their own administrative structures and bank accounts, and the dispute has been ongoing for years.
Before his death, Ong'ombe had engaged Adika in a peace mission to bring the two warring factions together, but the effort was opposed by hardliners within the factions.
