By REUBEN OLITA
July 25, 2026| The main gate of Amagoro Comprehensive School was on Thursday brought down by a truck ferrying construction materials for Sunday’s Consecration and Enthronement of the fourth Bishop-elect of the ACK Katakwa Diocese, Dr Vitalis Job Ekuru.
The truck reportedly forced its way into the school after failing to fit through the main entrance because of its height. With no alternative access, the driver pushed through the gate to deliver materials for the erection of temporary structures ahead of the ceremony.
School Principal Ronald Orodi confirmed the incident, saying the institution had suffered losses estimated at KSh1 million and expressing concern over the school’s security. This incident comes just weeks after the school suffered another major setback when thieves broke into the ICT hub and stole 27 laptops worth KSh400,000, disrupting digital learning for more than 1,000 students .
“We have encountered losses to the tune of KSh1 million. The truck owner has not given any assurance of having a new gate constructed. It has forced us to increase night vigil to keep people with bad intentions at bay,” Orodi said. In response to the recent security challenges, the school’s Board of Management had already resolved to engage a private security firm to bolster security and reassure donors . The damage estimate had however not yet been independently verified by time of going to press.
Preparations for Sunday’s consecration and enthronement continued on Friday, with several political leaders and church officials inspecting the venue.
Among those who visited were Teso North MP Oku Kaunya, Busia County Assembly Deputy Speaker Ronald Ochalu, Malaba Central MCA aspirants Moses Imai, William Ikomol, former Malaba Central MCA Ishmael Orodi, Transition Committee Chairman Moffats Okisai, Diocesan Administrative Secretary Milton Barasa Masake, Diocesan Treasurer Apollo Ingoba, former Bishop Zakayo Epus, Busia County CECM for Lands, Housing and Urban Development Douglas Okiring, Chief Officer Esau Ochakala, and Director of Administration in the Office of the President Charles Ramaina.
The decision to proceed with the consecration followed Friday’s dismissal of a petition by 10 petitioners to have the High Court in Busia seeking orders to stop the consecration and enthronement of the Bishop-Elect Ven. Dr. Vitalis Job Ekuru. High Court Judge Justice Muhochi Samwel Mukira dismissed the petition with costs to be met by the complainants and allowed the installation of the new bishop to proceed as scheduled.
Petition and Historical Context
The petition to block Dr Ekuru’s consecration was reportedly driven by underlying tensions within the diocese, reflecting a pattern of disputes that have marked the history of the Katakwa Diocese. The diocese itself was born out of a fierce struggle in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the Iteso faithful, led by Archdeacon Eliud Okiring, camped at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi and went on a hunger strike to demand their own diocese, citing discrimination by their “Luhya brothers and sisters in Christ” in the Nambale Diocese . Their persistence led to the creation of Katakwa Diocese in 1991, with Okiring becoming its first bishop .
The historical tensions have echoed in modern times. In 2016, Rev John Okude Omuse was elected and enthroned as bishop, promising to unite the Katakwa faithful . However, disagreements over leadership and the election process have continued to surface, including the recent petition seeking to block Dr Ekuru’s installation.
Petitions challenging episcopal elections are not uncommon in the Anglican Church in Kenya. In a similar case, the High Court in Nairobi nullified the election of Rev John Mark Haung Godia as Bishop of the ACK Diocese of Maseno West, citing irregularities in the electoral process . The court emphasized that elections must strictly follow the procedures laid out in the ACK Constitution, including the proper formation of Search Committees and adherence to nomination and voting requirements .
Pastors’ and Bishops’ Fellowships Express Exclusion
Meanwhile, the Teso North Pastors’ and Bishops’ Fellowships have expressed dissatisfaction after allegedly being left out of the guest list for the installation ceremony.
The chairman of the pastors’ fellowship, Pastor Dennis Etyang, questioned why clergy from other churches had not been invited.
“Is it because the President is coming and they thought we might also ask for our ‘share’?” Etyang posed.
The chairman of the bishops’ fellowship, Bishop Moses Omuse, also criticised the exclusion.
“Is that unity? We need each other. The office of the ACK Bishop needs to explain why other church leaders were not invited,” he said.
The exclusion of other church leaders from such a high-profile event threatens to undermine the very unity that Bishop Omuse had promised to foster in 2016 . The new bishop will face immediate challenges in healing these divisions and managing the expectations of a diocese with a complex history of internal strife and ethnic tensions.
Additional Report By BOB AMALEMBA