Nairobi — Religious leaders have urged the government to step up its surveillance in order to root out shady characters who masquerade to fleece unsuspecting followers.
Nyeri Archdiocese Bishop Antony Muheria condemned the proliferation of dishonest religious organizations that blatantly engage in serious human rights violations in the wake of the Shakahola massacre where more than 60 bodies have been exhumed.
“Religion cannot be and should not be the cause of people to lose lives and radical extremism that people have to do exceptional things in order to gain blessings,” he said.
Evans Omollo, the assistant provost at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi said that the pastors and religious leaders should be held responsible for their actions.
“Kindly let us not hide under this cover of freedom of expression freedom of religion and worship that is provided for in our constitution we must hold pastors accountable.”
A major search is underway in a forest near the coastal town of Malindi where dozens of corpses were exhumed over the weekend, with authorities fearing more grisly discoveries could be made.
A full-scale investigation has been launched into the Good News International Church and its leader, named in court documents as Paul Mackenzie Nthenge, who preached that death by starvation delivered followers to God.
It is believed some of his devotees could still be hiding in the bush around Shakahola, which was raided by police earlier this month after a tip-off from a local non-profit.
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Since then, a number of people have been rescued and dozens of bodies unearthed in mass graves dug in shallow pits.
“58 people (have been) confirmed dead and this is out of bodies exhumed and those who died on the way to the hospital,” said police chief Japhet Koome who visited the site on Monday.
A 325-hectare (800-acre) area of woodland has been declared a crime scene as teams clad in overalls search for more burial sites and possible cult survivors.
Ruto, speaking in Kiambu county neighbouring Nairobi, said there was “no difference” between rogue pastors like Nthenge — who has been arrested and is awaiting trial — and terrorists.
“Terrorists use religion to advance their heinous acts. People like Mr Mackenzie are using religion to do exactly the same thing.”
“I have instructed the agencies responsible to take up the matter and to get to the root cause and to the bottom of the activities of… people who want to use religion to advance weird, unacceptable ideology.”
