Religious leaders now differ on claim State is muzzling the Church

President William Ruto addresses faithful during a past church service. [File, Standard] Is the State seeking to interfere with the Church? Some religious leaders say it is, others don't agree. A section of clerics claim the State had infiltrated their congregations and was monitoring their sermons. On Wednesday, the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) said the Church was well structured and cannot be managed by the State, adding that the two entities operate as "two sisters" but independently. "We have not seen anything like that. First of all, let us not peddle rumours. I do not see where the State comes in when it comes to church operations. The State and the Church operate as two sisters and so, whoever says there is interference of the church, that cannot be true," said Nairobi region chairman, the Rev Alphonse Kanga. Earlier this week, Bishop David Kariuki Ngari told a press conference in Kiambu that there was a well-choreographed plan to muzzle the Church. "We believe that there is a plan to silence preachers and congregants, who sometimes are political leaders who visit our churches. We have been called by chiefs and some political leaders and have been asked to give information on the sermon of the day," he said. A number of other clergy supported the allegations, accusing the government of violating their freedom of worship. Others have taken to the social media, where they post their criticism to the government. Ngari said freedom of worship was enshrined in the Constitution and wondered why they are being asked to give information on church activities and what political leaders who attend their services say. But Rev Kanga said the presence of Government officials should not be misconstrued to mean that they have other intentions. "When the OCS or say the military people go to church, they go to worship the same God as everyone else. State has structures on how they operate and when in church, there should be no interference at all," he said. His remarks were echoed by the Rev Kamau Thairu, a Presbyterian Church of East Africa parish minister in Thamanda, Kiambu. "Comparing 2022 and now, we are just confusing on being prophetic with being emotional. The church proclaimed that this Government is from God. In 2024, when the Government is not doing what it is supposed to do, we are now releasing new prophesies. We have to ask whether we are being prophetic or just emotional," he said. Religious leaders were at the fore front in campaigning for President William Ruto in the build up to the 2022 General Election, and many of them convinced their congregations to vote for him. And amidst proposals to introduce a code of conduct for religious institutions, the President earlier this month assured the Church that his government would not allow the freedom of worship to be obstructed. He said religious leaders should be allowed to develop their preferred policies on how they would want to be regulated. "We will make sure that we protect the freedom of worship in Kenya. We will defend the right and the freedom of worship in Kenya and it will not be compromised in whichever manner," he said. On the ongoing debate on the impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Kanga called for justice and fairness. He said Kenyans should not take sides but allow the political and legal systems to work. "Kenya is ours. It belongs to the people and we need to continue talking as one community. The two principals can take different positions but that should not interfere with the peace of the country despite where they come from," he said.

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