A church official was shot dead outside a church meeting in Mombasa, Kenya on Sunday.

George Karidhimba Muriki, church secretary at the Maximum Revival Center, was killed by gunmen on a motobike just outside Mvita Primary School, where the church meets.

According to the Global Times, police prevented the gunmen from entering the church.

"He was shot as he was about to enter into the church, but immediately our officers responded and engaged them in a shootout and they escaped," senior police official Henry Ondiek told the Global Times.

Another church and a mosque meets on the compound that is guarded by police.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the militant Islamist group Al-Shabaab has been active in the region.

An investigation has been launched into the attack. It is being treated as an isolated incident as the area has been reasonably calm, according to secuirty officials.

Bishop Boniface Kalu of the Anglican Church in Kenya called on the government to offer greater protection for churches.

"As we condemn this heinous act we are at the same time asking the government to provide protection to churches and their leaders because they have become targets by criminals," he said.