The Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) has appealed to its members to help clear a KSh700 million loan owed by the church’s luxury hotel, Milele Beach Hotel.
In a video seen on August 27, one of the Reverend ministers appealed to members to contribute towards settling the debt, stressing that every contribution, regardless of the amount, would make a difference.
“Every coin counts. Every one of what you do counts. Whatever you give matters,” the Reverend said.
The church said the KSh700 million loan had accumulated over time, prompting the appeal for members’ financial support.
PCEA Turns to Members to Clear KSh700 Million Milele Beach Hotel Debt
The Reverend also urged members not to be influenced by political discussions surrounding the fundraising, reminding them that their contributions were intended to support the church.
“Please do not listen to politics. You are giving to the King of the Church, who is Jesus Christ, and he is the ultimate giver. We can never outgive God,” the Reverend said.
The appeal comes as PCEA seeks to address the financial challenges facing the hotel and support its continued operations.
How the Debt Grew Over Time
In 2025, the Presbyterian Foundation of the PCEA was embroiled in a legal dispute with the National Bank of Kenya (NBK) over an outstanding loan of about KSh811 million linked to the church-owned Milele Beach Hotel in Mombasa.
The disputed debt originated from a loan facility secured to finance the construction of luxury apartments and expansion of the church-owned property. The project was affected by delays and disruptions dating back to the 2007 post-election violence.
The loan balance has varied over the years, with earlier figures putting the outstanding amount at between KSh727 million and KSh761 million before rising to about KSh811 million.
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About Hotels Owned By the Church
Milele Beach Hotel is a three-star beachfront property located along Malindi Road in the Bamburi Beach area of Mombasa.
The Presbyterian Foundation, a legal entity wholly owned by the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA), owns it and manages the church’s properties.
Formerly known as Giriama Beach Hotel, the property operates as a non-alcoholic, non-smoking Christian hotel, catering mainly to families, church groups, and corporate retreats.
The hotel has 72 en-suite rooms, comprising Standard and Deluxe options, as well as 10 two-bedroom self-catering apartments suitable for families and larger groups.
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Guests have direct access to Bamburi Beach and can use two large outdoor swimming pools, including a dedicated children’s pool.
Milele Restaurant serves local Swahili dishes, Kenyan meals and international cuisine. The hotel also offers conference and event facilities, with five conference halls and expansive gardens for weddings, corporate workshops, and team-building activities.
Additionally, the rooms are equipped with air conditioning, mosquito nets, satellite television, Wi-Fi and private balconies overlooking the gardens or swimming pools.
The hotel is about 20 minutes north of Mombasa city center and close to Haller Park.
Current booking listings show standard room rates starting at about KSh10,040 per night, although prices vary depending on the season and booking platform. The hotel lists check-in at noon and check-out at 10 am.
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Every Sunday, PCEA elders urge members to clear their outstanding church debts, often explaining that these funds are used to settle the debts owed by Milele Hotels and to support the construction of other hotels and churches.
I have been hearing this message since I was about five years old, in 2005. That is now more than 20 years of being told that members’ contributions and outstanding church debts are helping to address these financial obligations. This has made me genuinely curious about what has happened over all these years.
How much money has PCEA collected from members through these contributions and outstanding debts over the years? How much of that money was actually transferred to or used to settle the Milele Hotels’ debts? How much debt and interest was outstanding at each point over the years, and what happened to the balance of the money collected?
If these contributions have consistently been directed toward settling the hotel debts, why do substantial debts still remain after more than two decades? And if some of the money is also being used for the construction of other hotels and churches, how much has been allocated to each of these projects?
I am not asking these questions to accuse anyone of wrongdoing. I believe, however, that as members who have been contributing for years, it is reasonable to ask for transparency and accountability regarding the money we are repeatedly encouraged to pay.
After hearing the same appeal since childhood, I think many members would genuinely appreciate seeing a clear financial breakdown showing ,how much has been collected, where it has gone, how much debt has been cleared, how much remains, and what has been done with the funds along the way.
I am a Presbyterian but wouldn’t contribute a penny for such a project.
How does that priest have the audacity to call that the work of God?
Exactly.
The sickening hypocrisy of these preachers to say you’re giving to God when all you’re doing is lining their pockets and that of their corrupt associates. You give to God when you give a cup of water to “one of these little ones, for as much as you did it for the poor, you did it for me.” You won’t find God at any luxury hotel, since it’s harder for those who bask in luxury to enter the kingdom of heaven than it is for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. You know these preachers by their fruit, and on the last day, when God doesn’t even recognise them, they will be separated like sheep and goats and go to the unquenchening fires of Gehenna. Whatsoever they’re doing to the least of these, they’re doing to God