-
The issue of regulations has been an emotive issues and many fruitless attempts have been made to try to rein in rogue church leaders.
-
In 2017, then AG Githu Muigai tried in vain to implement regulations on churches and mosques but the push died out after being challenged by religious leaders.
Image: GEORGE OWITI
The discovery of Malindi cult-like church where people starved to death has reignited calls for regulation of the faith-based organisations.
Speaking after the discovery that has shocked the nation, political and religious leaders now want action to bring sanity to the sector.
The leaders also questioned the capacity of the local government structures in unearthing such acts before they get out of hand.
Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangagi said it is time Parliament comes up with a law to deter such actions from happening.
The former Yatta MP said the absence of regulations, especially on churches, has seen proliferation of some churches with questionable teachings.
He added that the regulation debate is timely, noting that there have been legitimate concerns that current regulation of churches under the Societies Act is insufficient in curbing rogue churches.
Mwangangi, however, said that there are many honest and genuine churches and clerics.
“The government and Parliament have a task to decide whether we are going to regulate the churches or not. This time it is in Malindi, we don’t know where it will hit next,” Mwangangi told the Star on phone, even as questioned why it took the government long to unearth such activity.
“When all these were happening, where was the government? If it were mainstream churches such would not have happened.”
It took a whistleblower to report the graves at Langobaya police station before officers swung into action, discovering mass graves of members of the cult.
Migori Senator Eddy Oketch also called for a relook into the operations of churches in the country. He accused the state of mixing religion with state, making it difficult to point out excess of the churches.
“The government has mixed state and religion so they cannot hold each other accountable,” Oketch said.
“Revelations show government grassroots structures slept on the job.”
The leaders spoke after police arrested a controversial preacher, Paul Mackenzie of Good News International Church, who is accused of misleading his congregants of fasting into their death.
Homicide detectives have so far exhumed up to 21 bodies of people believed to be the followers of Mackenzie.
Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, however, disagreed on the regulations of the churches, insisting they should be left to self-regulate but called for action against church leaders involved in cultic activities.
“Churches should be self-regulated...as defined in the Bible. However, church leaders who go against God's will should be prosecuted,” he said.
But according to Saboti MP Caleb Amisi, the country has witnessed emergence of questionable churches because the government fears regulating churches for political repercussions.
“Some churches are conning Kenyans in broad daylight, others brainwash married women and girls and break families...because of the fear of God and God's servants - whether real or false prophets. This is what makes politicians keen to win elections avoid that topic,” Amisi told the Star on phone.
“There are more churches and mosques than schools in every village of Kenya . We can only pray to God to guide His flocks to the right pastor and leave the false prophet without followers. There are, however, very decent honest pastors and churches.”
The Legion Maria of African Church Mission has also called for the deregistration of suspect churches by the government in order to safeguard the people against abuse.
The church’s director of Legion Maria Youth Affairs and bishop of Lugari Diocese Wycliffe Nyaperah on Sunday said the news about the cultic Malindi church is very disturbing.
The issue of regulations has been an emotive issues and many fruitless attempts have been made to try to rein in rogue church leaders.
In 2017, then Attorney General Githu Muigai tried in vain to implement regulations on churches and mosques but the push died out after being challenged by religious leaders.
Two years later, then Kangema MP Muturi Kigano attempted to sponsor a bill on the same but that too fizzled out.