A court has blocked the consecration and enthronement of the Rev. Bernard Otieno Owuor as the second bishop of the Diocese of Maseno East of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) pending a judicial review of the episcopal nomination and election process. On 18 December 2024 the Kisumu High Court Deputy Registrar Gloria Baraza issued an order restraining the ACK and its Primate, the Most Rev. Jackson Ole Sapit from proceeding with the consecration, facilitating the bishop-elect’s assumption of office and allowing him to discharge any episcopal functions.
The Rev. Gordon Opiyo, the petitioner in the case, alleged the election procedure violated the church’s constitutional timelines, that he was improperly turned away from an interview on 2 Nov 2024, and that the Diocesan Chancellor’s communication about the vacancy breached church regulations.
The court has directed the respondents to file their responses to the petition. Additionally, Mr. Opiyo has been granted permission to file a supplementary affidavit. The dispute arose in the wake of the retirement of the Rt. Rev. Joshua Owiti on July 15, 2024, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 65.
A Ugandan national, Bishop-elect Owuor was elected on 30 Nov 2024 by the Kenyan House of Bishops.
The case continues.
