Plans for the enthronement of the second Archbishop of the Church of God in East Africa (Kenya) are in high gear at the Church headquarters at Kima mission in Vihiga County.
The Most Right Rev James Obunde who was appointed in January, this year, as the acting Archbishop is set to succeed the founding Archbishop Byrum Akhaenda Makokha who passed on in September, last year aged 88.
The installation ceremony is slated for March 28, 2021 at the Kima Mission headquarters.
Among dignitaries who have been invited to grace the first enthronement of the Church of God include President Uhuru Kenyatta, ODM leader Raila Odinga, ANC’s Musalia Mudavadi and other government officials.
The late primate Rev Makokha, headed the church for the last 50 years when he took the leadership mantle of the church after the exit of the founding missionaries in 1970.
Rev Obunde said the National Council of Churches of Kenya chairman Archbishop Timothy Ndambuki of the Africa Brotherhood Church (ABC) based in Machakos will preside over the enthronement programme.
“We have brainstormed and put together a programme that will be unique for the Church of God so that should we have other enthronements after mine, then we shall have a pattern to follow. This one is a premier programme for us,” said Rev Obunde.
He said the incoming Archbishop will be presented to Dr Ndambuki by bishops together and two deputies archbishops after taking the oath of office that will be administered by an advocate of the High Court.
“After which I will be robed, given a doctorial cross and two rings. The ring on the right hand will signify that one is married to Christ while the one on the left hand will indicate that I am married to my wife.
Then I will be presented with instruments of power including certificate of consecration, Bible, constitution of the Church of God East Africa (Kenya) before ushering me to the seat from where I will give my consecration speech,” highlighted Rev Obunde.
A national anthem will be sung before the new Archbishop will be escorted to the office of the archbishop where prayers will be made for him to sit in the office and offer his services.
The new Archbishop will serve continuously for ten years before retiring for another official to take over the leadership of the Ministry.
Rev Obunde worked in various capacities with the church before he rose to the new position.
He was a lecturer at the Kima Theological College before he went to the Azusa University in the United States for his degree in religious studies and pursued a master of arts degree in Religion from the same university. He moved to California university for another Master’s Degree in Business Management.
He returned back to the Church at Mission where he served as director of pensions, administrative assistant to the then Executive Treasury Secretary, director board of pensions, General Secretary and Administrative Secretary before he was appointed as the deputy archbishop in charge of administration, a position he held for six years when he was nominated as the acting archbishop after the death of Rev Makokha in January, this year.