Chief
Chief of Sinners.
Two troubling incidents in recent days have thrust the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Kenya into an uncomfortable spotlight, raising urgent questions about leadership accountability, financial ethics, and internal governance within one of the country's most trusted religious institutions.
These are coming on the heels of an incident that happened earlier in the year where a church elder was stabbed to death at the pulpit by a fellow congregant for allegedly having an affair with his wife. The church leadership made a commitment to ensure conflict resolution following this incident.
For many, this wasn't just money lost. It was life savings evaporated, children's school fees gone, retirement plans destroyed.
What makes this particularly painful for the Adventist community is that many investors were introduced to Optcoin by Paul Mwangi, the former president of the Central Kenya Conference and current executive secretary of the East Kenya Union Conference. Mwangi oversees church operations for nearly half of Kenya's Adventist congregations, a position of enormous trust and influence.
According to reports from Business Daily Africa, one investor alone lost over KSh 200,000 (about USD 1,500). Social media platforms have been flooded with similar stories, with some affected members calling for intervention from Kenya's Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
In a YouTube video released after the collapse, Mwangi stated he was also a victim, claiming he lost USD 735,000 (approximately KSh 94 million). He explained that he had been introduced to the platform by third parties and eventually became a regional director for Kenya, a role that made him a visible promoter and led many others to invest based on his endorsement.
The church's response has been to distance itself from the situation. Officials told Business Daily Africa that any pastors promoting the platform did so in their private capacity, not as official church representatives. They pointed to internal guidance previously issued cautioning ministers against involvement in unregulated investment products.
But here's the critical question: When a senior church leader uses the trust and access afforded by their position to promote an investment scheme, can their actions truly be considered "private"?
According to Citizen TV's report, one group had already begun worship inside the church building while another set up chairs outside and held a parallel service. The situation escalated to the point where police from Nyahururu police station had to intervene to prevent violence.
The dispute centers on the transfer of a pastor by the church board. While church leader Andrew Sang stated the transfer was official and legitimate, another elder (Joseph), representing the opposing faction, accused the current leadership of mismanagement and creating tension among believers.
Police eventually ordered both groups to vacate the church compound and resolve their differences elsewhere. The image of a church congregation so divided that they cannot worship together, requiring police intervention on the Sabbath, is deeply troubling.
Several urgent steps are needed:
This isn't an attack on the church or its mission, but a call for it to uphold its values. Adventism’s prophetic tradition urges the truth to be spoken, even when difficult. There is urgent need for answers, action, and change. The world is watching and, thousands of faithful members are waiting to see if their concerns will be heard and addressed, or if these incidents will be quietly swept aside until the next crisis emerges.
These are coming on the heels of an incident that happened earlier in the year where a church elder was stabbed to death at the pulpit by a fellow congregant for allegedly having an affair with his wife. The church leadership made a commitment to ensure conflict resolution following this incident.
The Optcoin Collapse
In mid-December 2025, thousands of Kenyans (a sizeable portion of whom were Adventists) found themselves locked out of their investment accounts on a cryptocurrency platform called Optcoin. The platform, which had promised high returns on crypto and forex trading, suddenly became inaccessible. Users attempting to access the site were redirected to a new platform demanding a registration fee of at least KSh 24,000 (approximately USD 180) just to attempt recovering their funds.For many, this wasn't just money lost. It was life savings evaporated, children's school fees gone, retirement plans destroyed.
What makes this particularly painful for the Adventist community is that many investors were introduced to Optcoin by Paul Mwangi, the former president of the Central Kenya Conference and current executive secretary of the East Kenya Union Conference. Mwangi oversees church operations for nearly half of Kenya's Adventist congregations, a position of enormous trust and influence.
According to reports from Business Daily Africa, one investor alone lost over KSh 200,000 (about USD 1,500). Social media platforms have been flooded with similar stories, with some affected members calling for intervention from Kenya's Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
In a YouTube video released after the collapse, Mwangi stated he was also a victim, claiming he lost USD 735,000 (approximately KSh 94 million). He explained that he had been introduced to the platform by third parties and eventually became a regional director for Kenya, a role that made him a visible promoter and led many others to invest based on his endorsement.
The church's response has been to distance itself from the situation. Officials told Business Daily Africa that any pastors promoting the platform did so in their private capacity, not as official church representatives. They pointed to internal guidance previously issued cautioning ministers against involvement in unregulated investment products.
But here's the critical question: When a senior church leader uses the trust and access afforded by their position to promote an investment scheme, can their actions truly be considered "private"?
Chaos in Nyahururu
In the heat of the Optcoin saga, another crisis erupted at the Nyahururu Central SDA Church on December 20, 2025. What should have been a peaceful Sabbath worship service descended into chaos as two rival factions within the congregation clashed over leadership disputes.According to Citizen TV's report, one group had already begun worship inside the church building while another set up chairs outside and held a parallel service. The situation escalated to the point where police from Nyahururu police station had to intervene to prevent violence.
The dispute centers on the transfer of a pastor by the church board. While church leader Andrew Sang stated the transfer was official and legitimate, another elder (Joseph), representing the opposing faction, accused the current leadership of mismanagement and creating tension among believers.
Police eventually ordered both groups to vacate the church compound and resolve their differences elsewhere. The image of a church congregation so divided that they cannot worship together, requiring police intervention on the Sabbath, is deeply troubling.
What Do These Incidents Tell Us?
These incidents paint a concerning picture of the state of leadership and governance within the Kenyan Seventh-day Adventist Church. While they are distinct situations with different causes, together they suggest deeper systemic issues:- Trust Without Accountability: The Optcoin situation reveals how easily the trust placed in church leaders can be exploited, whether intentionally or through poor judgment. When thousands of congregants invest their savings based on a leader's recommendation, that leader bears an enormous responsibility. The church's attempt to label such promotion as "private activity" fails to acknowledge the inherent power dynamics at play.
- Governance Failures: Both incidents suggest breakdowns in church governance structures. The East-Central Africa Division did issue a cautionary letter on November 6 warning against involvement in unethical or unlicensed financial ventures, but this apparently came too late or was not enforced effectively. Similarly, the leadership dispute at Nyahururu and the stabbing incident in Homabay indicate unresolved governance issues that were allowed to fester until they exploded publicly.
- Communication Breakdown: In both cases, there appears to be a significant gap between church leadership and the membership. When congregants feel unheard or when concerns are dismissed, tensions build until they erupt in dramatic fashion.
- Lack of Transparent Processes: Neither situation shows evidence of robust, transparent processes for addressing concerns before they become crises. Where were the mechanisms to question a leader's involvement in an unregulated investment scheme? Where were the conflict resolution procedures that could have prevented parallel services at Nyahururu or the stabbing incident in Homabay?
Accountability and Dialogue
The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Kenya is at a crossroads. These incidents have shaken the faith of many members, not in their spiritual beliefs, but in their institutional leadership. Trust, once broken, is extraordinarily difficult to rebuild.Several urgent steps are needed:
- Full Transparency on Optcoin: The church must conduct and publish a thorough investigation into how senior leaders became involved in promoting Optcoin. If the November 6 directive warned against such involvement, why was it not enforced? What disciplinary measures, if any, will be taken? Members who lost their savings deserve answers and, potentially, some form of institutional accountability or support.
- Stronger Financial Ethics Policies: Clear, enforceable policies must be established prohibiting church leaders from using their positions to promote any investment schemes, period. The "private capacity" defense is insufficient when the promotion happens within church networks and trading on institutional trust.
- Democratic Governance Reform: The Nyahururu situation suggests a need for reviewing how leadership transitions and disputes are handled. Are there adequate processes for congregational input? Are there clear, fair procedures for addressing grievances before they escalate?
- Independent Oversight: Consider establishing independent oversight mechanisms, possibly involving lay leaders from outside affected regions, to investigate complaints and ensure accountability without internal bias or conflicts of interest.
- Support for Victims: For those who lost money following advice from trusted leaders, the church has a moral obligation to provide some form of support, whether financial counseling, advocacy with authorities, or other assistance.
- Open Dialogue: Create spaces for honest conversation between leadership and membership. Town halls, listening sessions, and transparent communication channels can help rebuild trust and prevent future crises.
This isn't an attack on the church or its mission, but a call for it to uphold its values. Adventism’s prophetic tradition urges the truth to be spoken, even when difficult. There is urgent need for answers, action, and change. The world is watching and, thousands of faithful members are waiting to see if their concerns will be heard and addressed, or if these incidents will be quietly swept aside until the next crisis emerges.