An assistant pastor at a church in Mombasa, Kenya, was killed on February 2, while guarding his church during the night.
Lawrence Kazungu Kadenge, 59, assistant pastor at the Glory of God Ministries Church, died at about 2 am. Witnesses reported seeing two men fleeing the area.
No arrests
Senior pastor Andrew Msumbi Kioko said that no arrests have been made, but police are investigating.
‘It is very hard for me because we worked very closely together,’ said Kioko. ‘His family has been hit very hard. All of us, the family and congregants, need prayer as we grieve his loss – we need God’s comfort. Please pray for us.’
Kadenge leaves behind a wife, Lydia, and 13 children. His burial took place on Saturday, February 8.
Related to riots?
The motives for the murder remain unknown, but there are suspicions that it may be related to the recent Mombasa riots.
The situation in Kenya’s second largest city, which is a holiday resort on the coast, remains tense after recent riots, in which one person died and many were injured.
Police had stormed the controversial Musa mosque in the Majengo area of the city, in an attempt to stop alleged jihad classes.
Closing mosques?
In protest, angry youths barricaded roads and stoned vehicles. Police arrested 125 youths, who were kept in custody until February 7 to allow police to complete investigations. The government said on February 4 that it is considering closing the Musa and Sakina mosques for being associated with extremist preaching and Al-Shabaab recruitment.
