Deserted Eaglerise Christian Church in Athi River. Photo by Soo TV Reporter 
By Soo TV Reporter
The leadership crisis at Eaglerise Christian Church in Athi River has taken a dramatic turn, with Reverend Nahshon Wambua Mwangangi vowing not to relinquish control of the congregation he claims to have built from scratch.
Speaking outside the church on Tuesday, Mwangangi dismissed attempts to remove him, insisting that no one had the moral authority to eject him from a church he personally established in 2009.
“I am the one who founded this church in 2009. I started it in a friend’s three-bedroom house in Embakasi, Athi River. Later, I leased this land, bought it, and built the church. We have been here for the last 16 years,” Mwangangi said.
He accused Bishop Leonard Wambua, the church’s presiding bishop and chairman of the National Council, of attempting to impose a new pastor, Emmanuel Kioko, without the congregation’s consent.
According to Mwangangi, neither Wambua nor Kioko had contributed to the purchase of the land or construction of the church, describing them as “strangers” to both the ministry and the Athi River community.
Chaos erupted at the church on Sunday when two rival factions clashed over leadership, forcing police officers from Athi River Police Station to intervene.
The situation nearly degenerated into fistfights, with some members openly protesting against Kioko’s appointment. The police later padlocked the premises, declaring it closed indefinitely until a resolution is reached.
The wrangles stem from a court order issued by the Mavoko Law Courts, barring Mwangangi from accessing the church. Bishop Wambua maintains that the National Committee had suspended Mwangangi for alleged misconduct, and the court directed him to await the outcome of the case.
“There is a court order restraining him. Today, we came to introduce the new pastor, but it appears he mobilized his family and locals to resist,” Wambua said, though he did not deny claims that he had not financially contributed to the church’s establishment.
Wambua revealed that mediation meetings had been scheduled to explain the court’s decision and ensure a smooth transition, insisting that the church was not a personal property but part of the wider Eaglerise Christian Church network.
But Mwangangi insists the Athi River branch owes no allegiance to Wambua’s leadership. “This church was built through sacrifices of ordinary members — the mama mbogas who sold vegetables and men who hustled to contribute. We will not allow outsiders to interfere,” he declared.
The standoff has left worshippers divided, with services suspended indefinitely as leaders tussle for control. The dispute escalated in June when Wambua sought to replace Mwangangi with Kioko, a move rejected by the majority of congregants.
“This is not Wambua’s church. He wants me out because we disagreed on how he runs the national church. But this congregation is not his to take,” Mwangangi added.
As mediation efforts continue, the once-thriving church at Makadara shopping centre in Athi River remains under lock and key, with its future hanging in the balance.
