This archive report was first published on 11 July 2020.
July 11, 2020, marked a significant day for Kenya as the government issued guidelines for reopening the country. However, the new rules have sparked controversy among Kenyan clergy, who claim they are discriminatory against those of faith.
According to the new guidelines, children under the age of 13 and people over 59 are not allowed to attend church services. This has led to accusations that President Uhuru Kenyatta is against the Christian church.
Church leaders point out that these age groups are allowed to travel in crowded matatus, which are usually over-crowded, and can also visit supermarkets and markets, but are not allowed to attend church services. They argue that the President has openly shown that he is against the Church of Jesus Christ.
One pastor in Machakos, Eastern Kenya, argued that church attendance is voluntary and that pastors cannot be forced to release the names of people who attend. He also questioned the government's request for churches to place nametags on seats prior to services, citing concerns about social distancing.
The new guidelines have exposed the developing narrative that President Uhuru Kenyatta is against the Christian church. Last year, the President attended a mosque and worshipped, dressed in Muslim regalia, and prostrated himself in prayer with Muslim men, a move that some considered contrary to his own professed Catholic faith.
There have also been complaints that the President is being advised by atheists who would like to see the Church as well as all faiths in Kenya dismantled.
