Poor leadership and lack of accountability structures have been cited as key contributors to rampant cases of corruption among religious leaders.
But not all churches and members of the clergy are corrupt, said Reverend
Canon
Peter Karanja, general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Kenya.
Karanja said on Wednesday
that most churches in Kenya are well structured and have good internal governance that advocates transparency and accountability.
"If there is any church that has internally isolated cases of corruption or abuse, they have mechanisms of correcting them and holding individuals accountable," he said.
"It is evident from the fact that every year pastors and clergy are disciplined by various churches for going against ethics."
Karanja said the isolated cases cannot be used to
gauge the role of the church in the fight against corruption.
He
warned churches against
accepting large sums of money as contributions from politicians, without knowing the sources.
Allegations were made on social media that most churches in Kenya were in the forefront of condemning the government for corruption yet they are not transparent.
After came into the limelight for fraudulently obtaining money from members of his Salvation Healing Ministries, the government said mosques and churches would be registered to curb abuse.
Attorney General Githu Muigai drafted laws governing operations of religious institutions. He said in November 2014 that the government would amend the Societies Act to around those abusing the law and defrauding people seeking religious nourishment.
But several leaders opposed the regulations proposed by the AG and the Communications Authority saying they had to be rejected.
Besides deterring religious groups from swindling the public, the rules were aimed at preventing money laundering and terrorism.
They required clerics to submit certificates of good conduct and their theological training certificates which were to be from recognised institutions.
Churches were also required to belong to umbrella religious societies and submit annual tax returns and audited accounts.
Officials of more than 200 churches in Nyeri county
saying the freedom of worship should not be curtailed but fraudster preachers jailed.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka said the
Jubilee government the freedom of worship in Kenya.
Cord leader Raila Odinga for ordering the review of the laws saying he chaired the Cabinet meeting that discussed them.
He also said the rules were to scuttle religious liberty.