This archive report was first published on 28 June 2020.
As the number of Covid-19 cases continues to rise in Kenya, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) has urged the government to reopen places of worship, citing the church's ability to organize itself to prevent the spread of the virus.
Speaking on behalf of KCCB, Bishop Anthony Ireri emphasized that the church is willing to work with the government to ensure a safe reopening of churches. 'We urge the government to give us the opportunity to reopen churches, we will organize ourselves,' he said.
The call comes at a time when the interfaith council, led by Archbishop Antony Muheria, is set to release guidelines on the reopening of churches in the coming week. The council has been holding consultative meetings to allow for a safe phased reopening of churches.
Archbishop Muheria invited the public to participate in the process by sending feedback through the council's email address, [email protected], by July 2, 2020.
Kenya has reported 5,811 Covid-19 cases, and the number is expected to rise, according to the Ministry of Health. The government had ordered the closure of places of worship four months ago to curb the spread of the virus.
