Taskforce on church reforms off to stormy start as Pastor Ezekiel's lawyers criticise team

Rev Mutava Musyimi, the chairperson of the task force on the review of the laws governing religious organizations, at Juwaba Social Hall in Kilifi, on June 13, 2023. [Robert Menza, Standard]

Omari said they came with a memorandum which they wanted to present as Odero's grievances but were denied the chance despite putting their hands up continuously.

"We were to invite them to Pastor Ezekiel's church to see what goes on there. The commission is not impartial and we think Pastor Ezekiel will not get any justice. We will go to court and stop the commission. In the meantime, we shall continue to attend their meetings," said Omari.

During the task force's first public meeting, members of the community and various religious leaders, including Imams, pastors, bishops, and Kaya elders, presented their views and memorandums.

Some of the clerics said the State has no business interfering with church offerings and tithes.

They, however, criticised the government accusing it of turning a blind eye to Paul Makenzi activities, despite numerous reports that his preaching was misleading.

The main job of Rev Musyimi's team includes identifying gaps that have allowed extremist religious organizations to set up shop in Kenya and formulating a legal framework that will help prevent radical religious entities from operating in the country while informing standards to be used in granting certificates to various religious institutions in the country.

"Certification of preachers should remain a preserve by the religious leaders. Kenya's taxation regime should be revised to leave the church out, and the 2015 regulations to remain," said Nduli.

Pastor Martin Mutua, of the Nairobi Chapel, said there should be regulations in churches and mosques, to ensure they serve their purposes as religious organisations, lamenting that some people have taken them as an enterprise.

"If a church is not among the stipulated denominations then it should not be allowed to operate in Kenya," said Mutua.

Bishop Jembe Dickson, of Light of God Malindi, said the government cannot regulate churches without the help of religious leaders.

Abubakar Abbas, an Imam, termed total freedom of worship as dangerous and called for civic education to enlighten people on what they should look out for.

Abbas said the task force is irrelevant if the masses are not involved and educated on what the right teachings are.

"There is also the need to eliminate the corruption that has seen authorities turn a blind eye to the Shakahola massacre," said Abbas.

He added: "We blame the police for the Shakahola deaths. The government should conduct civic education in each constituency because total freedom is dangerous," said Abbas.

According to Emmanuel Munyaya, Kaya elder and religious leader of African religion in Kilifi, religion has been abused by many who are offering wrong teachings.

He lamented that some of the preachers in the region are misleading their members, for instance, by teaching them that elderly people are witches, which has seen some of them killed.

"The prayerful preachers have caused deaths because they will name a person they brand witch in almost every homestead. As a result, several elders have been killed," said Munyaya.

James Chigodi, of New Life Ministries, said all religions have had problems with the government but the church should be regulated by "a church regulatory board".