Kikuyu Deputy County Commissioner Elias Kithaura had a difficult time on Friday, calming down parents of PCEA Mama Ngina Primary School in Kinoo, who were protesting against alleged grabbing of their land by a church.

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The parents carried twigs and placards containing messages challenging the moral authority of the Presbyterian Church that allegedly grabbed their public land set aside for the establishment of a public secondary school, and instead established a private secondary school.

Speaking on behalf of the church, Rev Geoffrey Gathairu said the matter was in court, and he would not comment on it because of its legal implications, and also among those demonstrating were part of his congregation hence the protest was splitting the church and he would have divided the situation even more.

“I am glad that the police watched over the protest and it was rather peaceful. Let us wait for the hearing in court on March 2 and then we will know the way forward,” said Rev Gathairu.

However, Kithaura made it clear that the PCEA Kinoo Girls was not registered, and it was not recognised by the education officials even at Jogoo House.

“I am the area Education Board Chairman, and know very well the dispute over this land, although I do not understand how the church did acquire a title for a public land, but let us wait for the decision of the court,” said Kithaura.

He said this amidst jeering by the parents who vowed to invade the private school every morning and disrupt learning, saying the school was illegally established.

The parents invaded the PCEA Kinoo Girls School, the said private school, demanding the administration and students to march out.

A parent, Mercy Wawira said they had in the previous year 168 candidates and only 68 had found secondary schools to join with the other 100 stuck at home.

“If we had a public secondary school in Kinoo our children will have somewhere to go, and this is why we are even angrier against the church for taking our land. The church was only a trustee and not take over the property,” said Wawira.