SDA church fires 19 pastors over alleged misconduct

Central Rift Valley Conference Headquarters in Nakuru county./FILE

The Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church in Nakuru has fired 19 pastors over alleged misconduct and formation of an apostasy organisation.

This after the Nakuru-based SDA Central Rift Valley Conference (CRVC) accused the pastors of reportedly defying the church manual and doctrine while aligning with a parallel entity.

The letter further claims that the pastors allegedly organised themselves under the Mid Rift Valley Union of Churches Conference, an association the church says is not part of SDA.

“This letter serves as an official communication from the SDA Central Rift Valley Conference (CRVC) under Excom minute number 26Excom 010 of February 1, 2026, to inform all churches under its jurisdiction that the 19 pastors have been terminated from service and withdrawal of their credentials and licenses with immediate effect,” the February 3 circular reads.

However, one of the men of the cloth mentioned in the sack letter, Pastor Daniel Kerochi, in a phone interview with the Star, dismissed the allegations that he and 18 others have created a splinter group or committed any apostasy.

"We have not formed any splinter group; that is not true. In fact, we are still faithful to the SDA Church policy, and we follow it to the dot," Pastor Kerochi said.

Kerochi further explained that the pastors listed in the sack letter still answer to the SDA World Church headquarters—The General Conference, located in Silver Springs, Maryland, in the United States of America—and they are not answerable to the sack letter from CRVC.

"It is their nature to sack people; we can't engage with them. Our pastors are clean," Kerochi said.

According to the circular, the named individuals are no longer recognised as pastors, employees, or representatives of the Seventh-day Adventist Church under the CRVC Conference.

“Accordingly, all churches are hereby instructed that these individuals are not authorised to participate in any religious, administrative, or ministerial activities within any Seventh-day Adventist Church under the CRVC Conference due to their gross misconduct and formation of an apostasy organisation contrary to our Church Policy and Church Manual,” the circular says.

Signed by CRVC acting Executive Secretary Olgar Kemuma, the circular says the termination of the pastors’ contracts includes, but is not limited to, preaching, teaching, officiating ordinances, leading programmes, collecting tithes and offerings, opening bank accounts, or representing the Church in any capacity.

“Church boards and members are therefore advised not to permit these individuals to conduct or take part in activities within our churches. Your cooperation in this matter is essential to maintaining order, unity, and adherence to our church policy.”

The move mirrors a similar split a few years ago where the Nairobi-based Central Kenya Conference (CKC) saw internal wars that led to the formation of the Nairobi Cosmopolitan Conference (NCC) that now organises several churches under it.