ICC Note:
Not unlike other countries’ recent moves across Africa, Friday, Kenya imposed an indefinite ban registration for all new religious organizations. Categorizing the promise of miracles by pastors as illegal, the Kenyan government justifies the ban as necessary in order to amend its religious organization registration policies to better protect Kenyans. Christians are outraged by the move and have expressed their intention to fight the ban.
11/19/2014 Kenya (Christianity Today) – Prompted by news coverage of alleged illegal activity by pastors promising miracles, Kenya’s attorney general has banned new religious organizations from registering as the East African nation moves to enforce stricter regulations on churches, mosques, and temples.
The registration ban will be in place indefinitely, and existing religious organizations must file details of their registration status and financial returns, according to the Daily Nation. Meanwhile, Kenyan attorney general Githu Muigai will meet today with religious leaders from organizations including the Kenya Episcopal Conference, the National Council of Churches of Kenya, the Hindu Council of Kenya, the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims, and the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya to discuss what new regulations might look like, according to First Digital TV.
Mark Kariuki, chairman of the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, said in advance of Friday’s meeting that Muigai’s move to stop church registration and regulate churches amounted to persecution, according to Kenya’s Standard.
“We call on all Christians to support us and stand with us,” he said. “When it comes to matters of faith, people are willing to die for the faith and we will stand firm with the church.”
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