A family stormed a church in Mwakiki village, Voi accusing its pastor of hatching a plan for their daughter to elope with another cleric.
The girl’s father led his wife and two children into Christian Hope International Church threatening to beat pastor Florence Mwaizangu.
He claimed Mwaizangu encouraged his daughter to elope with a visiting pastor and that church leaders knew of their affair.
The man said his form three daughter was lured into the affair while serving a group of pastors as a caterer during a seminar.
He said the high school student went missing after the seminar ended and demanded her return.
“The church officials here knew very well what was happening between my daughter and the pastor yet no one bothered to tell me,” he said.
“The apostle had even talked about my daughter’s bride price with the pastor saying girls from this region are not very costly and that with a modest price of Sh50,000 he could get a wife.”
Speaking to KNA on Monday, the Nairobi-based pastor asked the parents to take their daughter back saying they had “issues” he did not want to be part of.
Mwaizangu denied masterminding the plan saying the pastor visited the girl’s family twice and paid them for preparations ahead of an elders’ visit.
She said the girl and the pastor ended their relationship, which had lasted more than six months, after she revealed that she was a student.
The girl’s father later admitted that he received Sh3,000 from the pastor but said it was not his daughter’s bride price.
He said the pastor asked him to use it to buy food ahead of his visit.
Maendeleo Ya Wanawake officials whose help the family sought called for investigations into allegations that the church facilitates meetings between schoolgirls and pastors.
Vice chairperson Josephine Mboje said students should be protected and allowed to pursue their studies.
Voi Subcounty Education officer Kennedy Machora urged unity in keeping young people from relationships they are not ready for.
“We have cases of young girls being led astray and what we are demanding is that education should always come first,” he said.
– the-star.co.ke
