Kitui clerics have welcomed President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive to the ministries of Interior and Health to discuss modalities of reopening places of worship.
Uhuru closed the places of worship on March 22 in efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Bishop Isaac Kithome, the overseer of Gospel Outreach churches in Kitui, said the country needed to recognise the importance of the worship of the true God. He said that at a time when Kenya and the world are faced with the Covid-19 crisis, it was imperative for God to take the centre stage.
“I wish to appeal to our religious leaders and the ministries involved to take advantage of this golden opportunity and formulate the said protocols soonest possible,” Kithome said.
Archbishop Julius Nyerere, the secretary of the United Clergy Alliance in Kitui county, said the void created by the closure of the places of worship was immense and regrettable.
The duo separately sent statements to the media on Monday.
Kithome thanked the President for his directive and asked the officials to engage religious leaders to formulate protocols to fast-track the reopening of places of worship. He, however, cautioned that the decision made must take into cognisance the fact that the cases of Covid-19 were escalating.
Kenyans need to protect themselves while giving God his due respect by congregating at the places of worship, he said.
“Churches must be responsible enough when this opportunity is granted to protect our citizens and at the same time do our supplications to God in the appropriate manner,” he cautioned.
Nyerere, who is also the General Overseer of the Messiahship Church in Kenya and East Africa, said that with the President’s directive, the relevant government arms must fast-track the process of ensuring that faithful return to the places of worship soonest possible.
“We still believe and plead for quick intervention to open the houses of worship countrywide, which are places of hope, centres of information sharing, and prayer centres that expel fear, stigma and other related vices that affect mankind,” Nyerere said.
He called on the government to incorporate the clergy in the Covid-19 response committees both at the national, county and subcounty levels.
The cleric said their inclusion was prudent because they are not only leaders but also represent a big chunk of the population.
Nyerere called on the government to come up with modalities on how to cushion the Kenyan clergy from the effects of Covid-19.
(edited by o. owino)
