High Court Suspends Directive to Deregister Pastor Ezekiel Odero’s Church
Image: Pastor Ezekiel Odero's :Photo creditsThe High Court has suspended a directive by the Registrar of Societies to deregister New Life Prayer Center and Church, a church led by Pastor Ezekiel Odero.
The court issued the order on Monday, August 22, 2023, in a case filed by Franklin Kilonzo, Alice Nafula Wanyama, and Pastor Odero.
The three argued that the gazette notice cancelling the church’s registration was published without giving them any notice of their intentions against the church. They also said that Pastor Odero was not given a chance to present his case in defense of the church.
The court agreed with the three and said that the Registrar had not followed the correct procedure in deregistering the church. The court also said that it was necessary to suspend the directive in order to allow the three to challenge it in court.
The Registrar and the Attorney General, who are the respondents in the case, have been given seven days to file their responses. The case will be mentioned on September 20, 2023, for further directions.
This is the second time that Pastor Odero has been involved in a legal battle with the Registrar of Societies. In 2021, the court ordered the Registrar to reinstate the church’s registration after it had been deregistered for failing to file annual returns.
The latest case is a further setback for the Registrar, who has been accused of mishandling the registration of religious organizations. In recent years, there have been several cases of churches being deregistered without being given a fair hearing.
The court’s decision to suspend the directive to deregister Pastor Odero’s church is a welcome development. It sends a strong signal that the courts will not tolerate the arbitrary deregistration of religious organizations.
The case is still ongoing, and it remains to be seen whether the church will be reinstated. However, the court’s decision to suspend the directive is a positive step, and it gives the church a chance to challenge the deregistration in court.
