By Anchor Writers
The Africa Brotherhood Church (ABC) today excommunicated six members and dissolved its Makadara Church choir.
This comes in a sweeping disciplinary action that raises questions about governance, internal dissent and conflict of interest within the church.
The decision, announced in a statement signed by Archbishop Timothy Ndambuki, also strips the six individuals of leadership positions and titles they previously held in the church and bars them from participating in worship services, fellowship and entering any ABC precinct in Kenya, Africa and Europe.
The disciplinary measures come amid a dispute involving Bishop of Nairobi Dr Mary Nzioki Ndambuki, the Archbishop’s wife, whom the church’s Governing Council has resolved to retain in charge of the Nairobi Sub-headquarters.
Archbishop Ndambuki signed the statement and sat through the Governing Council meeting that considered the matter, despite admitting that he was conflicted in the dispute. His wife, a member of the church’s top decision making organ also sat in the meeting.
The circumstances raise questions about how the church handled the potential conflict of interest, including whether sufficient safeguards were put in place to ensure that decisions affecting the Archbishop’s wife were reached independently and impartially.
None of those excommunicated were heard at Governing Council.
The statement does not explain how the conflict was managed or whether the Archbishop participated in deliberations and voting on the specific resolutions concerning the six members and the Nairobi bishop.
Archbishop Ndambuki, while responding to reporter alleged the hearings were done by a pastoral committee chaired by a bishop.
The six members named in the statement are Stanley Peter Makau, Mrs Jane Mudama, Sylvester Mudama Kilu, Brian Kimeu, Sylvester Kalulu Mulwa and Benina Mbithi.
Makau was expelled and stripped of all roles he held in the church, while Jane Mudama lost all her diaconal ranks, positions and titles. Kilu was stripped of his diaconal rank, Kimeu lost his position as choir master, Mulwa was removed as Israel Esquire Director, and Mbithi was stripped of any positions she held as a judge.
The Governing Council cited Section B and Section 25, Subsection B, of the church constitution, alongside Section 1D, Subsections 3 and 4, of the ABC bylaws, as the basis for the action.
Under the resolutions, the six are excluded from church sacraments, fellowship and membership privileges.
They are also barred from participating in worship services, local ministries and fellowship activities across all levels of the Africa Brotherhood Church.
The statement further prohibits them from entering the ABC Makadara compound, the Nairobi Sub-headquarters or any other church-owned property without explicit written authorisation from the Archbishop.
It describes the conduct of the six as “rebellion”, alleging that it was aggravated by alliances with unnamed external political saboteurs.
Archbishop Ndambuki is currently aligned with Preident William Ruto while the Churche’s General Secretary Dr. Daniel Yumbya is campaigning for election as Machakos Senator under the Wiper Patriotic Front.
However, the statement does not provide specific evidence to substantiate the allegation or identify the individuals or political actors said to be involved.
The council has also ruled that local church structures will have no jurisdiction over the six members’ cases. “Any future application for spiritual restoration must be submitted directly to the Governing Council” the statement added.
Choir banned as bishop retains position
In a separate but related decision, the Governing Council ordered the immediate suspension of all singing and ministry performances by the ABC Makadara choir.
The ban will remain in force until the choir undergoes what the statement describes as “thorough political de-acceleration, spiritual vetting, and a complete structural reorganization” under the guidance of the officer in charge of the Nairobi Sub-headquarters.
The council also affirmed Dr Mary Nzioki Ndambuki’s position as Bishop of Nairobi and her continued leadership of the ABC Nairobi Sub-headquarters.
The statement said she would not be transferred in response to what it described as external political hostilities. It added that the council was coordinating directly with law enforcement agencies to provide security around her person, residence and church property.
The church further said the legal duties of Elizabeth Mwende Kisini would be formalised in writing to eliminate what it described as overlapping local mandates previously exploited by dissident elements within ABC Makadara.
The statement did not elaborate on Kisini’s specific responsibilities or explain the nature of the alleged overlap.
Church accuses dissenters of political sabotage
In defending the decisions, the Governing Council praised what it described as the majority of the ABC Makadara congregation for maintaining peace and continuing with Sunday worship despite demonstrations outside the church premises.
It characterised the dissent as a “digital mutiny” and accused hostile elements of staging disruptive activities on the streets outside the church.
“The misleading social media campaigns and political engineered sabotage do not succeed against the House of God,” the statement declared.
The document was signed by Archbishop Ndambuki, identified as the Most Reverend Dr Timothy Ndambuki, and Senior Deacon Dr Daniel Yumbya, the church’s General Secretary.
While the church maintains that its actions were necessary to protect its leadership and institutional order, the disciplinary measures raise broader questions about the handling of internal disputes, the proportionality of collective sanctions against a choir and the procedures followed before members were expelled.
The Archbishop’s admission that he was conflicted in the matter adds another layer to the dispute, particularly because one of the central decisions concerns the continued tenure and security of his wife.
The church’s statement does not disclose whether the six members were given an opportunity to respond to the allegations, whether a disciplinary hearing was held, or whether they have a right of appeal under the church constitution and bylaws.
It also does not set out the evidence underpinning the allegations of rebellion and political interference.
These questions remain central to assessing whether the disciplinary action was undertaken in accordance with the church’s own governing instruments and principles of procedural fairness.
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