National Council of Churches of Kenya

It is with deep sorrow that the family of the National Council of Churches of Kenya has received news of the passing on of our Brother in Christ, Retired Archbishop Samuel Mwangi Gaitho early this morning after a long battle with illness.

On my own behalf and that of the staff, management and entire membership of the NCCK, I express our deep sorrow and share our condolences with the family and friends of our late brother. We pray that the God of all peace will fill their hearts with comfort that is beyond human understanding. We join them and all members of the African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa in mourning this great servant of God.

Archbishop Gaitho will forever be remembered for his phenomenal leadership that transitioned the AIPCA from volatile and quite often violent crises to peaceful proclamation of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We will especially remember Archbishop Gaitho for shepherding the return of the AIPCA to the membership of the NCCK after an earlier withdrawal.

We nonetheless remain confident that the Lord God Almighty whom Archbishop Gaitho served so devotedly throughout his earthly life has received him into the eternal rest that awaits all saints.

During this time of mourning the late Archbishop, may we all be encouraged by the words of Psalms 34: 18 –

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Signed at Jumuia Place, Nairobi, on this 13th day of July 2011.

Rev Canon Peter Karanja

GENERAL SECRETARY