Millions of New Life Prayer Church followers fate now hangs in limbo as the government insists that Pastor Ezekiel Odero’s church does not exist.
In a response filed in court, the state maintained that to them New Life Prayer Church did not exist as the licence was cancelled.
“As it stands there is no society under the name of New life Prayer Centre and Church with the society’s registration having been cancelled hence it is not possible to comply with the order requiring the registrar to accept the annual returns,” reads court papers.
In an affidavit sworn by Registrar of Societies Maria Goretti, the state has asked court to dismiss the application filed by Pastor Ezekiel challenging cancellation of the church license.
The church is in operation due to a conservatory order issued by court suspending the cancellation of the license.
However, Goretti says the church failed to file its annual returns as mandated in law thus the cancellation of its license.
According to court papers, the church was issued with a show cause on why its registration should not have been within 21 days of the date of notice but it failed to respond.
Goretti has also told court that the decision to cancel the registration of the church was legal, reasonable and in accordance with the procedure laid down in law.
The state has also claimed that prior to the cancellation of registration, the church had written to them on April 11 2023 requesting the office to furnish them with a list of office bearers of the society.
On April 13, the registrar claims they responded and informed the church to file its annual returns for the 2012 to 2022 before their request could be processed.
But in his application, Pastor Ezekiel claimed that the registrar of societies had hidden their file so they could not be able to file returns.
He accused the state of using underhand tactics in a bid to frustrate and close down his church.
Through lawyers Danstan Omari, Cliff Ombeta and Shadrack Wambui the pastor maintained that they were willing to file the returns as soon as they could be able to trace their file at the registrar of persons.
