A former church elder, Mwala Mooto, has sparked debate online after sharing a powerful and emotional post on his Facebook page detailing how he was removed from his church leadership position for failing to return tithe during a period of financial hardship. According to Mooto, his business had collapsed and he was in serious debt, struggling to provide food for his family. Despite his situation, he was summoned by fellow elders and questioned for not appearing in the church's tithe records—a matter that, he says, had made the pastor unhappy. “I explained my financial struggles,” Mooto wrote, “but I was asked, ‘Elder, what do you eat then? Even from food money, remove tithe and eat at least two meals a day.’” He added that other elders encouraged him to at least give something small—like K100—so his name would show up in the records. “This made me realize how commercialized the church has become. It’s no longer about returning a faithful tithe from your increase, but about keeping up appearances,” he lamented. Mooto said he refused to use borrowed money meant for his family’s survival just to satisfy church policies. He stood firm, stating that he would only return tithe when his business began making profits again. The following year, his name was removed from the list of elders and any church leadership role. Yet, Mooto says he continued going to church and singing with joy, knowing that “the keys to heaven are not kept by the pastor.” In his post, he urged others not to be pressured into giving what they don’t have, and emphasized that salvation cannot be bought.

“The Bible is clear,” he wrote. “Tithe from your increase—not your losses or from borrowed money.”

He concluded by calling on church leaders to show compassion and reconsider budget strategies instead of burdening financially struggling members.

“Stop selling salvation and allow people to worship their God in peace,” Mooto wrote. “If the money in your coffers is not enough, adjust your budgets.”

His post has since attracted a wave of reactions on social media, with many praising him for his honesty and courage to speak out on an issue that often remains unspoken in religious circles.