Pastor of a Kenyan Community Church in Baltimore Accused of Embezzlement and Misconduct

Wow!. It seems Pastor Karanja has issues, but why wash your long dirty linen in public? It appears all these pastors are middle men, collecting moniy from well wishers intended for the needy, then forwarding part of it and keeping a percentage, otherwise how do they support themselves? Even Bishop Kibobi, where does he get all the money he was using to paint Pastor Karanja's house to pay for other people's tickets?

Hii mambo inastink!

The good thing here is that this incident occurred in a country (USA) that strictly observes the rule of law. And for this, I see Pastor Karanja going to jail if this matter is pursued to its ultimate end. The problem will become even more serious for Pastor Karanja if the deaconess in question will bring in the sexual harassment piece. And this will make the Pastor to curse the day he was born. Let us wait and see how things will play out.

This is no big deal to day. It has become characteristic of Kenyans whether in or ouside the House of God. The cancer is both in Kenya and wherever Kenyans be in Diaspora. We are these days treated almost on daily basis to much worse cases connected with the Men of the Colar. If you read the recent cases of the Pastor in Ndundori and the Mubia ( Catholic Father ) in Kakamega both who after conducting weddings went after the brides and made them pregnant, you would agree with me that Balmore case is a small matter. Is it not last week when we read of the case of the Pastor in Kenya who after having good times with prostitutes has been hiring them for church growth promotions? With so many stories these days coming from houses of worship, one needs to be alert and selective in chosing where to worship for some smart characters have realised there is good money to be made in The House of Worship. They are a cursed lot those who cause ridicule to God's Wholly places.

Pastor Kibobi is not innocent either, why is he painting the pastor's house and paying for tickets especially when they are supposedly strapped for cash? Also he makes it sound like he owes people money to the extent that a loan had to be taken. The recipients would not know how much donors have given or what to expect coz they are being helped right or i'm i missing something?

All fishy. I think i trust a thief more than a pastor. It's a business.

I know him n right by the first sight of him when I saw him in church told it all. He is soo disrespectful. He is the kind of a man who will ignore u if u meet @Walmart yet on Sunday he gives u a sneering smile. First of all what pastor only calls upon those people who only pay tithe on that Sunday to go to the altar n b prayed for? does that mean that the rest r not followers?

That Pastor is a very ignorant character that's very true but also why is this Kibobi dude all over the pastor's bizna painting his house and all? i wonder if he first painted his house.........

People should stop worshiping these pastors like gods and they should know that they are not immune to sin or error. Some of these pastors are lions with sheep's skin.

I would like to know why the heck do we have to know all this freaking business of these pastor and kibobi coming to the public, secondary this Mwaura guy, what is he after in this matter, if you led money to someone and that person refuse to pay, you take him to court don't tell the public, that's defamation. And if the money stolen was donation that means the intended recipient could not know until given the money, so how can you borrow the money to pay what is not known to the recipient. I think you are also benefiting from the money and that's why you are furious.

As per the woman claiming for sexual harassment, why did she keep quiet until now, shame on you.

Either way both Mwaura and Kibobi should shut up and if they wanna take that pastor to court they do that, otherwise i might think they also have a hidden agenda.

As a former worshiper of ICC I am outraged at this news. I know too many people who have left that church and it has never been discussed why they left. I used to wonder why people left until I finally saw the need to leave. I think there may be many more stories pending.

It is a shame that what was meant to be a community church turned out to be a church full of issues stemming from dictatorship by this pastor. It is rumored that some people were literary kicked out of the church by the pastor. I always knew that this guy was a phoney. Let him face the law like any other citizen. Then maybe the Baltimore Community can reclaim the church to its full potential.

This story is so sad especially to the wife and children of the pastor, in my own opinion I think that as people of God Baba Mwaura did not do the right thing as much as he pretends to be humble to the community and he may claim that he is trying to solve a problem, he has his own downfalls that can be put in public too and he would be ashamed, as a man of God Baba Mwaura should have taken the necessary actions without involving the public. He has been a member of this church and his wife passed a few years ago and I wonder why this issue is coming up now, the deaconnes should have reported the case immediately if she did not have other hidden agendas, the bishop in Kenya - Kibobi is acting like an angel sent from above but I know for sure he has issues too and so as he claimed to be a man of God while he was here he should be fasting and praying and not drafting these stupid letters.

I pray that the pastor's family may find peace at this time because I know how it feels but its just but a passing storm.....

Ooh yea he's so phony n btw as for the sexual harrasement he also threatened em n goy run outaff his church. Baba mwaura tried talk with other men and have him give back wat he shared but finally got a slap on his face by being told he can't play guiyar in church bearing in mind he's one of the founders of the church. Wish u knw how he talks to his own wife n son leave alone out in public. He's living a dictatorship lyf. He looks evil from far sorry to say.

Shame on you all from karanja mwaura, pastor karanja and the kibobi guy. Nobody cares you all have a special interest and maybe people have stopped contributing and money to share is not enough. Before the fallout you all drank from the same cup, so stop the nonsense i cannot believe these are men. What happened we no longer have elders to look up too and consult when there is need. Personally i do not respect any of ypu.

Please fellow kenyans go to churches where you will be given the word of God and give ypur money to people who deserve not phony pastors and community leaders who are out to make money holding the bible andin the name of jesus. SHAME ON YOU!!!! We have better things to do.

ON THIS DAY SHAME HAS BEFALLEN ON ME AS A KENYAN IN BALTIMORE. And these elderly men (Mr. Mwaura, Pastor Karanja and Pastor Kibobi) who are supposed to be the pillars of society quarrel in public like fishmongers in a market.

I knew he is a thief from the word go.

It is indeed a sad day. we have shown the non-believes that we are not believers. Baba mwaura have you forgotten, do not take your case to the heathen to judge? It's also sad when we have been told, do not point fingers at a man of God . Then you bring it to the public, has all else failed? is there no man of God that could solve this?

Baltimore church we are under seige, we have allowed the devil to rein and given him a doorway and you all know when we do this trying to get him out is nearly impossible. The love of money is the root of all evil, i'm sure this is just the icing there is much more, but i hope you will wash it elsewhere not where there are kids, for we do not want to be dirty by association .

Wakenya, ama niseme waumini, washiriki, wanayo kasoro moja: kuwatukuza watumishi wa Mungu kesha baadaye wanaanza kulia na kuumia kimoyomoyo pale tukuko linapopiga mwamba. Unapokwenda kanisani kuutukuza UTU badala ya Maulana, basi yatarajie vituko baadaye. Visa ambavyo waumini wamewatukuza viongozi hawa wa kidini na hapo baadaye wanapigwa na butaa wanafahamu yale wachungaji hao walokuwa wakiyafanya kisirisiri vimetapakaa sio tu hapa Marekani, lakini kokote katika Jamhuri yetu.

Kumbuka Mnaijeria aliye wahadaa wanawake Kenya kuwa atawatafutia wachumba. Mkumbuke askofu aliyemkashifu mmewe aliyezaa watoto wawili naye eti kuwa hamjui, kuwa yeye kaliwa na wadudu miguuni....Kumbuka mchungaji Mnaijeria aliyemcharaza kofi msichana mmoja eti kwamba alidai kuwa yeye ni "Mchawi wa Yesu," kumbuke wengine waliorundikwa gerezani kwa najisi, wizi, kuwapapasa wanawake na hasa vijana vijana.

Ni muhimu hasa sisi Wakenya kujiepusha na vitendo ambavyo vitavunja sheria za nchi hii kwani hazimpendelei yoyote. Wengi wamejikuta matatani kwa kufanya vitendo vya kipusi wakiwa na ile kasumba ya Kikenya kwamba watawahonga askari au mahakama hivyo kuchenga chenga sheria. Sheria hapa hufuatwa neno baada ya lingine, na utawaona askari akikuchekesha na kukuonyesha heshima ila anakuweka baroni. Fuata sheria uyafurahie maisha yako hapa, ikiwezekana.

Pale unapomtukuza mchungaji miaka nenda miaka rudi, bila shaka anakufofusha: huoni husikii, husemi huneni, husikii husemi, hununi huguni. Unakaa pwee hata anapofanya vitendo ambavyo machoni mwa mwenyezi ni dhambi. Hayo ndio ndio mambo yanayotendeka kila jumapili ama waumini wendapo kesha au wanapohudhuria hadhara ya kumtukuza mwenyesi Mungu, mweza yote mujua yote. Shida sio huyo unayemkemea na tuhuma ambazo veve ndiye uliyezipanda na aukazifanya zinawiri, huku ukiruka ruka hewani kana kwamba mambo yote ni sawa.

Kwa wale waliojiunga na kanisa la ICC majuzi kati ya 2006 hadi leo, ni muhimu kujuwa  kuwa lilikuwa pahali ambapo Wakenya walitolea mhanga, kwa hali na mali, kuifanya kanisa hilo liwe vile lilivyo siku ya leo. Wakenya ni wapenzi wa Mwenyezi Mungu na waonapo kanisa nzuri ambayo itawalisha na neno la Mungu, hutumia mali na hali yao kuifanya nyumba hio ifaulu. Vyombo vya muziki, vyombo vya kupasa sauti, viti, vyombo vya barafu na kadhalika vilinunuliwa na waumini waliokuwa wakisali huko miaka ya 2002, 2003, 2004 kabla farakano, kutoelewana, na rabsha rabsha zilizofata na kuwafanya wengi, mie nikiwa mmoja wao kupiga guu na kuondoka, nikiyasahau na kuyaacha yote nyuma na kuendeleza maisha yangu kwingineko.

Chuki, utengamano, kutoaminiana......uonapo leo kati ya Wakenya hapa Baltimore ilianza katika kanisa la ICC. Ni jambo la kushangaza na kuhusunisha nisomapo kwamba hata baada ya wengi kuondoka miaka mingi iliopita, hali imeendelea kudorora na kusambaratika kiasi kwamba sasa imekuwa tena zogo na mzozo usioeleweka. Wengi walisahau na kusamehe yote walioyaona nyakati hizo. Ni vizuri kusamehe au kusuluhisha mambo Kiukenya kwani wakati wa kiama, wengi ya wachungaji na waumini watakuwa na maswali mengi ya KUMJIBU.

Natuombe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Am glad pastor Karanja has been exposed, he is arrogant and has no Godliness in him. You can deceive people sometimes but not all the time. Pastor Karanja casts evil spells to his church members and the public in the name of God.

Hope justice is done on him so that he can learn to humble himself before the Lord.

Oh dear. These men are supposed to be father figures. This is juz disgusting. Obviously this was a deal going bad. They all planned to eat public money meant for the poor or for the work of God, but one of them was more greedier and had more access to the money than the others. They all think pple are stupid. How do you give somebody 5K without expecting something on top of the returns? They are all thieves and God himself will deal with them

Baba Mwaura, I no longer have respect for you. How will you recover your money by bringing this issue out in public? Don't you know the law (of God and of the land). What do you stand to achieve by doing what you have done? Infact, this is a tort of defamation and you could get sued for trying to defame Pastor Karanja. We did not need to know your business. The lady you mentioned is a grown woman and if she was sexually harrassed, she does not need Baba Mwaura to come to her defense, there are legal channels that she can pursue.

Kibobi, I question your intentions, not to mention your loyalties? Did you not stand in church on numerous ocassions and tell us time and time again how Pastor and his wife have supported you in the past?

Kenyans, indeed shame has befallen us if grown men supposed to be community leaders can bicker in public like small kids. Shindwe!

Luke 8:17: "For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad."

Bringing this issue out in public is not only necessary but warranted. As pastor, he is a public figure and I believe his congregation needs to know about it. Kenyans need to stop hiding and covering up each other's mistakes and crimes. Let's promote a culture of honesty and make people think twice before doing anything unethical.

The person that commits the crime is the guilty party not the person that outs them. Get it straight.

I will echo the words of the Worcester Minister, when he said lets call a spade and a spade. Thank you Baba Mwaura for bringing this to the limelight. "Pastors" have continued doing disgusting staff hiding under the umbrella of the church since so many people fear to point fingers at them. Fear is weapon of the devil, evil has to rooted from church it does not matter who, we are equal in the eyes God, Jesus Himself turned tables of the money chargers and through them out of the. For the House God is a house prayer. We cannot continue turning a blind eye when the House God continue to be defiled.

Mr. Karanja (pastor) is not exempt, he need to be exposed, he has taken the for granted for such a long time, my advise to you, repent and seek forgiveness and is faithfully to forgive. David in the bible is described a man after God heart, because he was quick to repent and not defend his action as an adulterer and murder; do the same pastor, recently you preached a very powerful message about planting a seed and forgiving, the seed is not money, it is what you do, your actions, because what you sow is what you leap. Sow forgiveness and you will leap forgiveness.

To Mr. Mwaura, because like many people you did not chose to do nothing, you did something, I will quote Edmund Burke who became one of the leading British Politicians of the 18th century today he is remember of his statement, "all that is necessary for the forces of evil to prevail is that enough good men do nothing". When he saw wrong being committed, he could not "do nothing". He boldly spoke out and took action. He opposed the Stamp Act, which helped spark the American Revolution. He also took a strong stand against oppression in India.

Go Baba Mwaura!!!. Enough good men have chosen to say or do nothing to this pastor, allow evil to prevail in the church, we are co- workers with Christ to root out the evils in the society by speaking about it and bring every high minded thing that exhaust itself against the knowledge of God through prayers bring it to the obedience of God. Let all God fearing pray.

To those Kenyans asking why the deaconess waited for so long without going public, I have some words for you: Stop thinking Kenyan style. Justice is justice whether now or 100 years later. See what happened to Jerry Sandusky at Penn State? The sexual harrassment did not happen two days ago but almost twenty years ago. That is why the US is country of the free and freedom is not free. As for Baba Mwaura trying to recover his money, stop being negative. He sent a "kiama" to the pastor and he ignored them. Its time that dirty linen is displayed in the public. Pastor Kibobi is a man of God, respectful and straightforward. He was painting Pastors house as a thank you for what he had done for him, inviting him to minister in the US, picking him up at the airport, hosting him - we know that staying in a hotel for a month, renting a car for a month, eating out for a month - well, it adds up to more than Ksh. 48,000 or even the 700 dollars he helped pay for an air ticket for the pastor. Let the pastor answer to these charges, clear his name and so that huduma can go on. ICC has lost so many congregants because there is no openness of financial disclosures. While we all go to church for spiritual nourishment, finances also play a big role. The church does not give accounting records of how money is spent, they just state what offering was given. Lets be open so that even as we preach and are preached to, we know that everything else is clean and taken care of and that the only thing remaining is spirttual feeding.

Bishop Kibobi is an honest man whom I love. He keeps a true record of how he spends the money the donors send. Didn't you see that he has a non-profit organaisation?

On the other hand, Pastor Karanja needs to repent of the sins He has done in order to avoid God's wrath. Ontu Baba Mwaura, Don't worry because God in heaven is the owner of all the gold and earthly riches. He will surely repay you when pressed down,shaken together and running over!

And to all of you who are posting hate speches BEWARE because you can never mock God and GET AWAY WITH IT!

Oh Kenyans, be rational. Understand other people ancestral religions and your own. Understand the cultures that others have and attach to politics includign colonialism See how the religions came to us Open your eyes to the versions of these religions coming to you.

Dont revert back to biblical selective (mis)quoations to counter their biblical (mis)positioning.

Open your eyes.

Use your money to help your people or Loose your money to help people purporting to help your people.