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By:
HARRISON MAINA | |||||||||
| Posted:
Aug,06-2016 15:52:17
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BOSTON__13 out of the 17 Kenyan gospel artistes in Boston declined to show up for the controversial gospel music praise and worship celebration (Kigocho) last Sunday at the All Saints Community church in Quincy following objections by congregants being forced out of the church by their long time pastor, Rev. Fredrick Thanji. According to members of the protesting group still camped outside the church gates on a rainy Sunday morning after being locked out of the service for the third week in a row, only two gospel music spouses from Lowell in addition to a new pastor at the All Saints Church showed up for the event marred by zero fan attendance, except for a few of Rev. Thanji's supporters. Speaking to Ajabu African News, many of the protesting Kenyans said that they were shocked to see Esther Ndirangu (Queen Essy) and her husband, Bernard Gatui Ndirangu, both leaders of Shekainah Well of Worship Ministries and members of the St. Stephens church in Lowell show up to perform despite pleas against it by Kenyans, who feared the pastor had put together the event in an effort to blindfold Kenyans from the problems going on at the church so as to give it a sense of normalcy. Other artistes, including Grace Shiko, Bernard Mutua, Anne Kihato, Alice Maina, Gabriel Ng'ang'a, Carol Gitau, PJey Kongo, Florence Mukuhi, as well as the CEE dancers, decided to give the event a wide berth in solidarity with the protesting Kenyans after catching news of the ongoing strife at the troubled church.
The Kenyans said it was even more preposterous that ministers Irene and James Gitau, also a gospel music family in Lowell to show up in support of the Rev. Thanji a few days after they announced they would not. "Some of these so-called ministers do not seem to have any kind real world application of the Christian principles that they claim to be spreading through Gospel music. There is a serious disconnect between what they are saying by words of their music and the actions they are doing on the ground. You can't claim to be serving the Lord yet at the same time you are coming to give support and endorse that your fellow Kenyans and Christians including their helpless kids be kicked out of church unconditionally," said Peter Karanja, one of the protesting congregants. The Kenyans blasted the artistes for putting their commercial and economic interests above the interests of peace and unity in the church, a move that was interpreted as "borrowing a leaf" from their pastor. "These gospel artistes accepting this invitation don't care at all about the unity of Kenyans here other than their opportunities to sell CDs and be heard over the microphone. It is very sad that there are other Kenyans out there who want to copy the trend. This does not set a good image to many Kenyan youths in the region attending Kenyan community churches," said Jacob Thuo. "If you cannot sit down and impress upon the pastor on the need to resolve this kind of a problem if you are really a concerned Kenyan in Boston for the sake of the dozens of small children caught up in the dispute, whom else do you expect to fight for the helpless kid? Do you sincerely believe that coming to celebrate at such an event when the majority is outside in the rain crying to God for divine intervention is a responsible and Christian thing to do? How can you come to such a Kigocho and expect to celebrate and sell your CDs and not realize you are advocating for further division instead of unity?" added the fiery father of two. According to Kenyan present at the venue, the musicians were shocked by the apparent lack of fan quorum or other expected artistes. They said that the two singing spouses entered the church hurriedly and did not even say a single word to dozens of protesting All Saints Congregants performing their own kigocho while holding umbrellas to protect against the rain. With no other fans or musicians showing up by 5 pm for the event that had kicked off at 2 pm, the protesting group decided to leave. Reached for comments on why they decided to attend the Kigocho and totally ignore the problems afflicting their fellow Kenyans protesting against what they perceive as an injustice meted out to them, Bernard Gatui and Essy Ndirangu have not yet responded to Ajabu Africa voice and text messages left. Similarly, efforts to reach James Gitau and his wife Irene for a comment on their apparent change of heart to attend the event have also failed to attract any response. The protesting Kenyans also blamed the Kenyan American Pastors' Association in the area for remaining quiet on the dispute rather than coming out in the open to condemn the actions of Rev. Thanji as they do not want to be seen as condemning "one of their own". However, the determined Kenyans vowed to continue with the protest every Sunday of the week until the pastor can relent and speak to the people for a dispute resolution. | |||||||||
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Source:
AJABU AFRICAN NEWS
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