An enumerator maps a family: A family has been arrested after blocking the officials from counting them. [Gideon Maundu, Standard]
An Akorino cleric and his wife have been arrested in Naivasha after blocking census enumerators from counting them.
The drama unfolded in Gatamaiyu village 30 kilometres from Naivasha as the couple and its four children kicked out the enumerators before police could intervene.
The family at one time locked itself in their houses and defied orders from the police to open up before local elders intervened.
While quoting sections of the Bible, the suspects identified as Akhi Shilton and Akol Emmah said that they would only be counted in heaven and not on earth.
The cleric told the enumerators and security officers that they would be cursed for going against the Bible "which bars any kind of census."
“The book of 2 Chronicles 2:17 bars us from been counted and we shall not defy God's name so as to please the government or members of the public,” protested Akhi.
A local elder only identified as Moses said that this was not the first time the family was involved in dispute adding that in the past they had refused to have their children immunised against diseases.
“In various cases police have intervened so that their children could be immunised. We were not surprised when he blocked the census officers,” he said.
