Faith-Based Organisations have backed the call by Nyeri Catholic Archbishop Anthony Muheria to have the government conduct a wealth audit of all religious leaders.
Speaking in Nairobi on Thursday, officials under the umbrella of the Christian Health Association of Kenya (CHAK) said it is time for religious institutions to operate with transparency.
“We have talked about proper service delivery before so it seems we have to agree to do things in a way that is transparent, scientific and in a way that involves all people,” CHAK SG Samuel Mwenda said.
Mwenda said it is high time religious institutions self-regulate, adding that those operating under the Interreligious Council of Kenya have a code of conduct, work with EACC, have a Memorandum of Understanding and observe ethics and integrity.
He acknowledged that there are a few individuals who are misleading the masses with controversial teachings and radicalized religious beliefs and called on relevant government agencies to intervene and bring the culprits to book.
“We agree with Muheria who said the government must tighten its grip. If you have no offense or wrong you won’t fear,” he added.
This comes against the backdrop of a discussion on the regulation of churches in the country.
This is as police try to unravel suspected cultic teachings that have seen dozens of Kenyans starve to death in Kilifi.
Muheria on Wednesday said there must be laws to guide religions and dominations.
"It is important that we audit the wealth of all religious leaders, all of us including myself should be able to declare what I have in my accounts," Muheria said.
He termed the Kilifi cult incident as a deception of the highest order where gullible people use the poor and miserable for their own gains.
So far at least 98 bodies have been recovered from graves in the forest.
