Police have stopped pastor Ezekiel Odero’s mega crusade in Kilifi because of what they term as security reasons.
In a letter to the church, Kilifi OCPD Kenneth Maina has said the request to hold the crusade which started yesterday had been declined.
“Be notified your request to hold the said crusade has been declined due to security reasons. Any further meeting or gathering held on the same grounds will be considered illegal and unlawful” the letter reads.
This is despite the same police clearing the church getting a permit to hold the crusade at the venue in Mweza Ng’ombe area from today Wednesday 4 to Sunday 8 October after paying Sh 15,000 fee for the grounds.
Yesterday, Odero said he will defy the illegal orders issues by OCPD Kilifi Kennedy Maina who entered the grounds and forced them to stop live recordings of the crusade saying they were orders from above.
Last week, the police stopped the crusade slated for last week but allowed them to hold the rally this week from Wednesday.
Documents exclusively in possession of Court helicopter news show that the crusade was licenced.
“Thus, we area advising you to plan and hold the same event as from 4/10/2023 up to 08/10/2023” the letter from the OCPD reads.
It is not clear why the police have now changed tune and stopped the crusade that they had already authorised.
Odero’s lawyers led by Danstan Omari and Cliff Ombeta have said the crusade will go on unless there is a court order stopping it.
Omari said they have advised their client that there were two court orders that allowed the operations of the church to proceed so they will continue with the crusade.
He said as his legal counsels for the church they will also be present at the rally in Kilifi.
