The Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) pastor who was captured in a viral video chasing out a section of bridesmaids from a wedding in Nyamira, Kisii county for not being SDA has come out to clarify his actions.
Jared Omwoyo while speaking to a local publication defended his actions noting that the maids aforementioned showed up drunk with shaggy hair, 'screaming' lipstick and earrings.
He said he only did God's work by being tough on the team after he learnt that they had been drinking prior to the ceremony. He, however, maintained that he never chased anyone away.
“A church is for all. I was licensed and ordained in 1995 and I have officiated over 500 weddings. In all those, there has been compliance. This was the first one with drunkards, earrings and lipstick. It shocked me," he stated.
"It is unfortunate that the incident has been twisted using the video that has gone viral to mislead people that I ejected non-SDA members out of the church,"
Omwoyo also explained that he questioned the number of SDAs in the bridal team since the program was delayed.
"The bridal team had kept the matron in charge of marching and the wedding was running late so she sought my intervention. It was to be done at 11 am but up to 3 pm nothing had been done. They were troubling the matron and she was one. She sought my intervention saying she was unable to make progress. I wondered who these people were troubling the matron. A coin has two sides. The clip does not show the two sides of the story,” Omwoyo added.
The pastor noted that the clip was twisted to 'add salt' and incriminate him. He maintained that the clip failed to show the people he was addressing and and noted that his actions were in the best interest of the SDA church.
“They have only captured me in the video. They are not showing the exact people I am addressing. There were three boys who had knotted hair commonly known as dreads. The hairs were very shaggy. They hid them. I said we cannot officiate a wedding with people with such hair. SDA youth don't allow such,” he said.
Viral clip
Omwoyo was criticised by a section of netizens after a viral clip showed him angrily asking the bridal team aforementioned to step aside.
"Try somewhere else not this Seventh-day Adventist church. Nyinyi nyote, kama wewe si mSDA nmekukataa in capital letters, you are not going to escort the bride, if you are not an SDA move out," he stated.
The incident brought a stand-off until his orders were obeyed.
