Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has categorized rogue preachers among the top national threats after terrorism, banditry and consumption of toxic alcoholic and narcotic drugs.
Speaking on Sunday, May 21, 2023 at House of Testimonies Victory Revival Church in Tharaka Nithi county, the CS urged the clergy to support the government’s agenda of eliminating criminals hiding in religion, saying the crackdown will go on despite resistance from some religious leaders.
“The Church and other religious organizations must support government efforts to reign in on criminals hiding behind religion to kill people. Even if the Church does not support us, we will go ahead as government”, he said.
On May 9, a section of Pentecostal Church leaders castigated President William Ruto’s decision to form a 17-member task force to review legal and regulatory frameworks governing religious organizations in Kenya, following the discovery of mass graves in Shakahola forest in Kilifi.
Kindiki reiterated the government’s plan to fight religious leaders advancing unorthodox teachings and those feasting on the gullibility of their followers using scriptures to radicalise and indoctrinate their followers.
In his speech, Kindiki apologized to Kenyans for the Shakahola forest massacre, adding that there will be accountability for every government officer or official who, by acts of commission or omission, aided Makenzi in committing atrocities against innocent people.
“I want to give a commitment to the people of Kenya that all those hiding in religion and holy scriptures to hurt, harm, steal from, brainwash and radicalize people that we are going to push them out of business. Never again will we lose so many innocent people”, he said.
The CS announced the government’s plan to extend rescue and search operations in Shakahola forest to Tsavo National Park.
So far, 235 bodies have been recovered as exhumation remains suspended to allow the postmodern of the newly found 123 bodies and create more space at the morgue.
“According to our findings there are more mass graves at site, and we expect to exhume more bodies even as we try to rescue those who are still in the forest,” he said.
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