This archive report was first published on 7 July 2020.
Kenya: COVID-19 - Opposition After Uhuru's Tough Rules for Reopening Churches ¶
President Uhuru Kenyatta's announcement to reopen places of worship has been met with mixed reactions from Kenyan churches, with some welcoming the decision while others have expressed concerns over the strict guidelines and limited capacity.
According to the President's speech on Monday, the services will last just one hour and must adhere to the guidelines set by the interfaith council, including a limit of 100 worshippers per service.
However, some church leaders have questioned the fairness of the restrictions, citing that some churches can accommodate up to 2,000 people. They have also expressed concerns that the one-hour service limit will not allow faithful to worship properly.
"The President's speech was good, and as MPs we welcome it, but what is not clear is the issue of curfew and restricting the number of people who attend church services," said South Mugirango MP Silvanus Osoro.
North Mugirango MP Joash Nyamoko also expressed concerns, saying, "What surprised me is restricting church services to 100 people. The number of people attending services should be guided by the size of the building."
Some church leaders have also requested the government to loosen the restrictions further, citing that they are ready to follow all the guidelines set by the government to slow down the spread of the coronavirus.
"We are ready to follow all the guidelines set by the government to slow down the spread of the coronavirus. All pentecostal churches have agreed that their members will maintain social distance and only allow adults to worship. But we are requesting the President to loosen the restrictions further," said Bishop Dominique Ochoo, County Director of the Kenya National Congress of Pentecostal Churches (KNCPC).
On the other hand, some Muslim leaders have welcomed the move, saying precautions will be taken to protect worshippers in mosques.
"We are happy with the decision. It is a big relief to rural churches where congregations are never of high numbers. It is a step in the right direction even for urban churches that will have to stagger services," said Bondo ACK Diocese Bishop David Kodia.
Published on July 7, 2020.
