Jesus Winner Ministry  Gives Uchumi Supermarket 21 days To Release Land Documents, Accuse Trade Ministry Of Interference

By Albert Nyakundi,

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 13- Bishop Edward Mwai has led hundreds of pastors drawn from all churches under Jesus Winner Ministry across the country to protest a delay by Uchumi Supermarket Limited to release a title dead for three acres of land it sold to the church, four years ago.

The clerics held a presser at their Headquarters in Roysambu, Nairobi County.

The church’s Secretary-General Reverend Raphael Mwiti accused the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development of interference to short-change the church.

”Let the government not intimidate the church. The money raised by the church members is a result of total sacrifice to glorify God. We prayed for this government including fasting so that it could clinch victory,” he said.

The church had initially entered into an agreement with the supermarket in 2018 to buy the 20 acres of land next to Thika Road Mall along Thika Superhighway. 

The land was meant to expand the current church located next to TRM.

”We have been patient and have followed the law,” Bishop Mwai said.

Led by General overseer Bishop Edward Mwai, the clerics pointed an accusing finger at powerful individuals in the government who want to forcefully sell the same land to another party at a higher value.

Under unclear circumstances, the church learnt that 17 acres out of the 20 acres eyed by the church had been taken by the Kenya Defence Forces.

“In 2019, we got the news that the KDF had taken over 17 acres. We saw their artillery there since we are neighbours,” Bishop Mwai told the journalists.

The bishop added, “The church leadership was recently invited by the parliamentary land committee whose report agreed with our sale agreement for the three acres.”

The general overseer said as of March this year, the church had already completed payment of four hundred and one million (Ksh 401M), the value of the three acres to the public retailer supermarket, a public limited company incorporated in 1975 under the Companies Act (Cap 486 of the Laws of Kenya).

Mwai said, “On September 20, 2018, we entered into a sale agreement with Uchumi Supermarket Limited and we paid the requested deposit of Sh330 M after we acquired a loan of Sh270M from Equity bank.” 

The church he said, conducted a fundraiser to top up the loan from the bank to realize the deposit.

“All records are there, we conducted several fundraisers in the church to pay both the loan and the balance owed to the seller,” he said.

Mwai strongly dismissed as propaganda claims that a top politician has been funding the church to buy the land.

He appealed to CS for trade Betty Maina to intervene to ensure a smooth transfer of ownership documents from the supermarket to the church. On May 4, the church gave Uchumi Supermarket a 21 days notice to finalize the deal.

Mwai said should the government fail to transfer the ownership of the land, Uchumi must refund the Sh401M paid by the church through its financial arm, Jewel Complex Limited plus an extra interest of 24 percent according to the sale agreement between the parties.