No attending church until further notice, police tell Mombasa faithful

Police in Mombasa stopped Jesus Celebration Centre (JCC) in service on Sunday following the directive by government banning all public gatherings in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.

According to police reports, the church situated in Bamburi had failed to adhere to the personal hygiene and social distance directives.

The law enforcers said they will do everything posible to ensure the government directives on pubic gatherings are adhered to and that will not hesitate to act in cases where they feel otherwise.

Angry worshippers, however, condemned the action saying God is more powerful than coronavirus.

“We started well because we believe God is superior to science, before police came in and started chasing us away," Christine Kambua said.

Kambua described the clousre as an action emanation out of fear adding that with the prayers even those who have tested positive will heal on the spot after prayers

Erick Beruru another member of the church said there is nothing including coronavirus that can touch them provided they know Jesus.

They said they were praying for the entire nation and should be allow to go ahead.

In Nairobi, riot police were forced to teargas worshippers and stop masses after it emerged that the said churches had not adhered to the new directives.

At St Bakhita Imara Daima Catholic Church, police lobbed teargas to disperse a group of worshippers who wanted to access the church for the Sunday mass.

Despite Kenyans being directed to stay at home and avoid public gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic, images of Kenyans flocking churches emerged online on Sunday eliciting mixed reactions.

Condemnation

Netizens have accused Kenyans of being ignorant of the dangers of the coronavirus and have urged the government to close the churches as a precautionary measure against the spread of the virus.

Artiste Suzanna Owiyo urged Kenyans to embrace the social distancing rule and observe personal hygiene to contain the spread

“Let’s avoid crowded places. How about embracing social distancing as earlier advised. Self-protection starts with you. This pandemic might hit us hard if we are not careful,” she said.

Nahashon Kimemia, another Kenyan on twitter warned Kenyans against taking the directive lightly and told Kenyans to stay indoors.

He said the main reason why the government closed schools was to minimise movement and that it was wrong for Kenyans to still attend gatherings claiming they are praying to the nation.

“Stay indoors. At home, you could do everything you felt was necessary until the country is safe,” he said.

Ann Lorna blamed the government for preaching water and drinking wine saying even during Health CS Mutahi Kagwe pressers on the pandemic, they share the mic and don’t practice the social distance rule.

“Even the way CS Kagwe others are crowded and sharing a mic during a presser is sending wrong signals and watering down all these directives. Let them lead by example,” Lorna tweeted.