Mamlaka Hill Chapel founder and bishop Charles Muhia Ng’ang’a has challenged his removal from the church in court, seeking reinstatement, compensation and unpaid leave benefits amounting to more than KSh 21 million. Ng’ang’a has filed a petition at the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nairobi, alleging that four church officials subjected him to an unfair disciplinary process that denied him the right to a fair hearing. The officials named in the case are Jonathan Njoroge, Rev. Richard Maulo Munala, James Chege and Geoffrey Kibathi Mbugua.
Ng’ang’a Recounts His Service at Mamlaka Hill Chapel
In his court documents, Ng’ang’a states that he founded Mamlaka Hill Chapel in August 2005 and subsequently signed an employment contract as senior pastor in January 2011. He says his gross monthly salary increased from KSh 384,314 to KSh 1,236,147 during his service. He was ordained as bishop in November 2019.
His legal dispute follows his suspension on March 27, 2026, and subsequent summary dismissal on June 25, 2026. Ng’ang’a claims the four officials, acting as the church’s Elders’ Court, had no authority to suspend him or appoint Munala as acting bishop.
Bishop Alleges Unfair Disciplinary Hearing
According to the petition, Ng’ang’a received a notice to show cause on June 11, 2026, over allegations of gross misconduct. He says he requested detailed information about the complaints, supporting evidence and the officials’ authority to initiate disciplinary action against him. The petition indicates that he was required to submit his response by June 22 and attend a disciplinary hearing the following day.
Ng’ang’a maintains that he asked for additional time to prepare his defence and arrange witnesses, including a pastor based in the United States. Although he attended the hearing on June 23, he alleges that the panel failed to adequately consider his requests. He further claims that no complainants or witnesses testified during the proceedings and that no evidence was presented or examined in his presence. He says he received his dismissal letter on June 25.
Dispute Over Bishop’s Removal and Ordination
Ng’ang’a is also contesting the church officials’ authority to revoke his ordination. He alleges that a communication circulated on June 26 to church employees, congregants and international pastors announced his removal as bishop, revoked his ordination and withdrew the church’s recognition of him as a reverend. He further claims that he was removed from the church’s official staff WhatsApp groups.
The former church leader appealed his dismissal internally on June 27 but raised concerns about the independence of the committee that considered his appeal. According to his petition, the committee members were appointed by the same officials who had overseen the initial disciplinary process. His appeal was subsequently dismissed on July 17, 2026.
Ng’ang’a Seeks KSh 21 Million in Compensation
Through Kiragu Wathuta & Company Advocates, Ng’ang’a argues that the disciplinary proceedings violated his rights to fair labour practices, fair administrative action and human dignity. He is seeking KSh 14,833,764 as compensation for alleged unfair dismissal, an amount equivalent to 12 months of his salary. He is also claiming KSh 6,207,039.60 in accrued annual leave benefits. The two claims total KSh 21,040,803.60, excluding additional damages, interest and legal costs sought over the alleged constitutional violations.
Application Seeks to Halt Implementation of Dismissal
In a separate application, Ng’ang’a wants the court to suspend the implementation of his dismissal while the case is pending. He is also seeking orders to protect his access to church premises and duties and to prevent Munala from serving as bishop until the dispute is determined. The petition places the legality of the disciplinary process, the dismissal and the subsequent actions concerning Ng’ang’a’s church position before the court. The allegations against the church officials have not been established by the claims outlined in the petition, and the matter awaits determination by the court.
