This archive report was first published on 7 July 2020.
On Monday, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced a phased reopening of the economy, including the conditional opening of churches. However, Atheists in Kenya (AIK) has faulted this decision, terming it 'misguided, impracticable and counter-productive.'
The AIK argues that the government is not adequately prepared to monitor congregational gatherings, ensuring that safety protocols by the World Health Organization are followed. This concern is particularly relevant in informal settlements where a church could mean a small, confined space.
AIK President Harrison Mumia posed a question, 'How will the government ensure that places of worship are not crowded, especially in the informal settlements?' He also questioned how the government would prevent congregants from hugging or shaking hands in church.
The AIK further averred that some doctrines within the Christian denomination could hinder social distancing and limit the spread of COVID-19. They claimed that some preachers could purport to be curing the virus, leading to more negligence.
According to AIK, the government has scored meagerly on contact tracing, and sanctioning congregations of such nature could only expose more Kenyans to the virus. The group stated, 'We know that some pastors will defy the COVID-19 health regulations on grounds that God heals. Many Kenyans believe in miracles and some men and women of God will purport to have the ability to heal the virus.'
President Uhuru's directive also suspended Madrasas and Sunday Schools, and prevented congregants above 58 years and below 13 years from taking part in prayers, citing them as vulnerable to coronavirus.
