The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) has urged the government to strengthen laws governing the establishment and operation of religious outfits in the country.
In a statement on Monday, Catholic bishops led by their Chairperson Martin Kivuva called for a review of proposals in the Religious Societies Rules 2015, stating that the self-regulation provision currently in place has been jeopardized by the resistance of leadership structures and systems in some churches.
“It is our considered opinion that if a strong mechanism of regulating religions was in place, the long arm of the law would have stopped Pastor Mackenzie from taking advantage of Kenyans to engage in acts of mass suicide,” he said.
This is as the number of people who died in Shakahola, Kilifi County, rose to more than 70. Pastor Paul Mackenzie Nthenge of the Good News International Church is said to have instructed members to starve themselves in order to "meet Jesus".
As a result, the Bishops want the review of the proposed state laws to ensure that such rogue pastors are exposed in good time and denied the opportunity to perpetuate their dangerous acts.
“Such a review should help to identify the weak legal and religious links that cult leaders have been exploiting to brainwash their unsuspecting followers," read the statement further.
Going further, the Catholic bishops termed it unfortunate that Mackenzie’s church was “allowed to perpetuate its dangerous doctrine for such a long time, leading to the loss of so many lives with the state security machinery completely unaware.”
“It is very unfortunate that we are witnessing a worrying reality in the country where so-called prophets and cultic leaders have mastered the art of exploiting gullible Kenyans in the name of religion,” read the statement further.
President William Ruto on Monday broke his silence on the Shakahola massacre, saying that the perpetrators belong in jail.
The President said people who are masquerading as religious people yet what they do is contrary to the teachings and to the beliefs or religion will face the law.
He said the controversial preacher at the centre of the Shakahola massacre is a criminal and belongs in jail.
"What we are seeing in Kilifi, Shakahola is a kin to terrorism. There is no difference between Mr Mackenzie who pretends and postures as a pastor when in fact he is a terrible criminal," Ruto said
