- Mbita Parish church in Homa Bay County was destroyed and the site fenced off by rival claimants
- The National Land Commission allocated the land to the Anglican Church of Kenya in 1985
- An allotment letter was issued in 1991
- The diocese plans legal action and seeks damages of more than $50,000
Mbita Parish church of the Anglican Church of Kenya, on the shores of Lake Victoria in Homa Bay County, was destroyed and its site fenced off by rival claimants on February 19, 2026, The Living Church reported on April 29, 2026, in a report by Shadrack Omuka.
The National Land Commission allocated the property to the Anglican Church of Kenya in 1985, and an allotment letter was issued in 1991. Some locals alleged collusion between officials at the Ministry of Lands and fraudsters. The Diocese of Southern Nyanza said it would pursue legal action to secure its title and seek damages of more than $50,000.
“How can people that God created demolish his house without fearing any consequences?” said Bishop Simon Onyango. A deacon said the Anglican Church of Kenya has many land cases, “some of the cases have been in court for over 20 years.”
Four decades after the land was allocated, the church building was gone.
An allotment letter is not the same as a registered title. Some Jamaican churches hold land on agreements for sale, lease offers or old allocations that were never converted into registered titles. The Mbita case shows the risk. Churches should complete the process to full title, pay any outstanding fees and keep the paperwork secure.
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