- Pastor Ezekiel Odero of New Life Prayer Centre is now fighting to save his church after the court dismissed his application challenging its deregistration
- Odero claims that Justice Jairus Ngaah issued an unjust and unmerited ruling by not addressing the issues raised in the dispute
- Odero stated that unless the court intervenes, the rights of his members and their children to education and worship will be affected if his church is deregistered
Televangelist Ezekiel Odero is now fighting for the survival of his megachurch after the Court of Appeal dismissed an application challenging the deregistration of his New Life Prayer Centre.
The court has dismissed Pastor Ezekiel Odero’s application, contesting the deregistration of his church. Photo: Citizen /NTV.
Source: Twitter
What is Odero saying about court’s ruling?
In an appeal filed through his lawyer, Danstan Omari, the controversial Kilifi-based preacher seeks to have a judgment issued on April 19 of this year stayed after he lost his bid to prevent the cancellation of his church’s registration.
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Odero says that the Registrar of Societies may shut down his church, which has over 40,000 members and affiliated institutions, following the verdict.
Odero insists that Justice Jairus Ngaah delivered an unjust and unmerited judgment by failing to address the issues raised in the dispute.
He told the court that the trial court dismissed his case despite having tendered evidence to demonstrate that he had been treated unfairly and contrary to the principles of fair administrative action.
“That is striking out the suit; respondents may well proceed to effect the closure of the applicant’s entities following the gazetting of deregistration of Newlife Prayer Center and Church Society,” his court papers read in part.
Odero says that unless the court intervenes, his members and their children’s right to education and worship will be impacted if his church is deregistered.
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“All these institutions and assets held thereto are at risk, should the Society’s deregistration be effected by the respondents herein and the rights to education and freedom of worship for countless of children and citizens across the country will be negatively impacted,” he submitted.
What does Odero want the court to do?
Pending the hearing and determination of his appeal, Odero wants the court to issue an injunction restraining the state from closing down his church.
“Pending hearing and determination of the appeal, this court be pleased to issue an order of injunction restraining the respondents either by themselves or their employees from in any manner interfering with the operations of the applicant’s ministry based on the impugned Gazette Notice No. 11016 dated the 18th April 2024 communicating the 2nd respondent’s decision effectively revoking the certificate of Registration of New life Prayer Center and Church,” his application states.
The preacher stated that he oversees several initiatives under its umbrella, including churches, retreat centers, and the well-known Kilifi International School, which accommodates hundreds of children in Kilifi County.
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He noted that the society is in the process of beginning construction on a hospital and a university, warning that all of these programs could come to a halt if his church is shut down.
Why did govt revoke registration of Odero’s church?
In April 2023, the Registrar of Societies revoked the registration of the Newlife Prayer Centre and Church due to allegations of money laundering and cult-related activities.
The Registrar wrote to Odero, instructing him to explain why his registration should not be canceled for failing to file his annual returns.
The preacher, however, claimed that attempts to file the returns had been unsuccessful because their file was missing at the registrar’s office.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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