Nairobi, April 10 -- A senior elder of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) was on Tuesday sworn in as the church's honorary treasurer, despite a court order barring him from taking up the post.

The ceremony took place at the church's headquarters, St Andrews' Parish in Nairobi, and was attended by President William Ruto.

The elder, Mr David Nderitu Ndumo, was sworn in during the church's twenty-fourth General Assembly. He will now oversee the church's Sh1 billion annual budget.

So tense was situation that when Mr Ndumo was called to the podium to take the oath, the veteran cleric Timothy Njoya stormed out of the assembly in protest, forcing the moderator of the General Assembly to call him to bow before the altar.

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