By REUBEN OLITA
July 22, 2026| Ten petitioners have moved to the High Court in Busia, seeking to halt the consecration and enthronement of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Katakwa Diocese Bishop-Elect, Ven. Dr. Vitalis Job Ekuru (pictured). The ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, July 26, at Amagoro Comprehensive School grounds.
The petitioners—Geoffrey Okitwii, James Imudang, Jacob Otte, Sammy Okava, Kelvin Emayot, Violet Barua, Dan Kura, Levi Barasa, Meshack Oisame, and Shalvin Bakira—have named ACK Archbishop Most Rev. Dr. Jackson Ole Sapit, Archbishop’s Commissary Charles Ong’njo, transition committee chair Okisai Moffats, and Bishop-Elect Ekuru as respondents.
Busia High Court Judge Justice Muhochi Samwel Mukira certified the application as urgent. He directed the applicants to serve the respondents within 24 hours, with responses due within 48 hours, and scheduled an interparties hearing for July 23.
Context: ACK Constitution and Bishop Elections
Under the ACK Constitution, bishop elections must follow strict procedural timelines, including proper nomination, vetting by a search committee, and voting by the diocesan synod. The church’s governing council, the synod—comprising the House of Bishops, clergy, and laity—plays a central role in electing a new bishop. Any deviation from these constitutional provisions can render the election process null and void, as courts have previously ruled that voluntary religious associations like the ACK must be governed strictly by their own constitutions.
A Pattern of Court Interventions
This is not the first time a court has stepped into ACK leadership succession battles. In December 2024, the Kisumu High Court halted the consecration of Rev. Bernard Otieno Owuor as the second bishop of the Diocese of Maseno East, following a petition by an aggrieved clergy member who alleged the election violated constitutional timelines and that he was improperly barred from contesting. The court restrained the church from proceeding with the consecration pending judicial review of the nomination and election process.
Similarly, in 2024, the High Court in Nyeri issued orders restraining the convening of a synod meeting for the Mt Kenya West Diocese, derailing the succession process for retiring Bishop Joseph Kagunda. The court later ordered Archbishop Ole Sapit to commence a fresh election process for the diocese by November 13, 2024.
These cases illustrate a growing trend of church members turning to the courts to challenge episcopal elections, often citing procedural irregularities or constitutional violations. The frequency of such legal battles suggests that leadership transitions within the ACK are increasingly contested, with petitioners seeking judicial intervention to enforce adherence to church laws.
The Katakwa Dispute
The legal challenge follows intense protests by Christians who claimed the June 13 election was rigged. Demonstrators locked Katakwa Cathedral, the bishop’s vicarage, and the main church gate, with some threatening to break away and form a new diocese. The protesters argued that leadership has historically rotated among archdeaconries, and Katakwa Archdeaconry has never produced a bishop.
President William Ruto is expected to grace the consecration ceremony. Principal Administrative Secretary Arthur Amug Osiya confirmed the President’s attendance during an impromptu harambee last Sunday, urging Teso North residents to turn out in large numbers to welcome the Head of State.
“The President has invested a lot in Busia County, a feat that calls on us not to forsake him. We should support him and later demand our fair share,” Osiya said.