AIC Nandi faces backlash after church orders immediate removal of leaders supporting traditional circumcision

Africa Inland Church (AIC) Nandi Area Church Council has ignited a fierce theological and cultural firestorm online.

A leaked internal memo, signed by Administrative Secretary Rev. Stephen Rotich, issued a draconian directive: any church leader found to have participated in traditional circumcision rites must be "replaced immediately without any consideration."

The letter, dated 11th December 2025, marks a significant escalation in the long-standing tension between Western-influenced ecclesiastical doctrine and the deeply rooted indigenous traditions of the Kalenjin community.

"This is to notify the church that any member of AIC in leadership position and have engaged in traditional circumcision should be replaced immediately," read the letter in part

They can just remain with their church at this point. pic.twitter.com/j3IR8BedWZ

- Dr. Kipkoech Cheruiyot (@kipkoecheruiyot) December 22, 2025

For many in the region, traditional circumcision is not merely a medical procedure but a sacred rite of passage, an initiation into adulthood and tribal responsibility governed by elders.

The digital response has been swift, reflecting a community deeply divided over its identity.

Proponents of the Church's stance, argue that the move is a necessary spiritual cleansing. Writing on X, she stated,

"Some cultures and traditions mask demonic worship and idolatry. Light and darkness don't mix." For this camp, the Church must remain a sanctuary of exclusive

Christian practice, untainted by ancestral rituals they deem incompatible with the Gospel.

However, the directive has met with scathing resistance accusing accusing the AIC of overstepping its spiritual mandate to engage in a "war against indigenous authority."

In a series of posts, X user Victor Kapkorios challenged the Church's consistency: "If you insist on policing manhood, then go all the way. Reject offerings from those circumcised traditionally. Let your doctrine eat its own tail."

His argument highlights a perceived hypocrisy, that the Church is happy to accept the financial contributions of the traditionally initiated while simultaneously barring them from leadership.

Others have called for a complete "reversion to spirituality" over what they term "religion nonsense."

The sentiment among many young Kalenjins on social media suggests a growing fatigue with colonial-era religious structures that seek to delegitimise African heritage.