Assessment of Women Participation in Church Leadership: A Case of National Independent Church of Africa (NICA), Kenya

Abstract

The National Independent Church of Africa (NICA) is a church organization founded in Kenya in 1964. NICA is a church founded by Africans during the struggle for independence and registered in 1963. The church is spread across Nairobi, Kiambu, Embu, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Kirinyaga, and Isiolo Counties of Kenya. The study provided the background information on the women participation and church leadership. The objectives of the study were to access whether women participate in decision-making, participation in the leadership of church projects, and if they are allowed to take up leadership positions. On Chapter two, the study reviewed theoretical literature including traits theory of leadership, female leadership theory, participative theories or approaches and skills theory, and empirical literature. The study also developed conceptual framework with gender stereotyping being the intervening variable. Used descriptive research design and embraced a simple haphazard sampling technique to acquire a sample size of 120. This research used questionnaire as the main data collection tool and used SPSS program to analyze data. Regarding the study, the researcher found that, women in NICA were willing to be leaders, and NICA Kenya allowed them to be leaders but with no or minimal appointments and motivations. Additionally, women were directly engaged in decision-making process in the church leadership in NICA Kenya and their opinions were incorporated in the final decisions and women participated in the leadership of NICA church’s routine activities but not oversight roles in church’s major projects. Hence women participated in the church leadership in NICA in Kenya directly in decision-making process, and church’s routine activities but not activities outside the church, hence, there was women participation in the church leadership in NICA in Kenya. The church can allocate some leadership positions vi for women, through nominations or appointing women into leadership positions in the church