President William Ruto Friday formed a 17-member task force to review legal and regulatory frameworks governing religious organizations in Kenya.
In a gazette notice dated May 5, Ruto announced that Reverend Mutava Musyimi will chair the committee which will be operational for the next six months.
Bishop Mark Kariuki, Bishop (Dr.) Eli Rop, Archbishop Maurice Muhatia, Judy Thongori, Rev (Dr.) Alphonse Kanga, Bishop Philip Kitoto, and Dr. Faridun Abdalla will sit on the committee as members.
They will be joined by Prof. Musili Wambua, Joseph Khalende Wabwire, Mary Awuor Kitegi, Charles Kanjama, Leah Kasera, Nancy Murega, and Wilson Wanyanga.
Martin Ndiwa Talian and Maria Goretti Nyariki will serve as the task force’s joint secretaries.
Ruto said the task force’s main responsibilities will include identifying gaps that have allowed extremist religious organizations to set up shop in Kenya, as well as formulating a legal framework preventing radical religious entities from operating locally.
It will also formulate proposals on amendments to various laws so as to enable the State to effectively tackle religious cults.
The task force will also table proposals on civic education to sensitize Kenyans on the need to avoid religious cults.
“The task force shall formulate proposals for a mechanism for the public to report religious extremists in their local communities and also come up with standards and minimum certification requirements for religious organizations to be registered and to operate in Kenya,” the Head of State said in the notice.
The committee will also be required to recommend actions that the State may take against individuals and organizations suspected of engaging in extremist religious practices.
Ruto said last week he will hold extensive discussions with spiritual leaders from across the country to develop a legal framework within which religious centers will operate.
Ruto said the framework will help in taming individuals who seek personal gain in the name of religion.
“I will hold consultations with our religious leaders to have a taskforce so that we can weed out the characters who want to abuse religion to run businesses and things that are anti-religion,” he said.
“We want to provide a framework agreed with our religious leaders that will provide for self-regulation so that our church, religion, and spiritual leaders can have a mechanism where they can point out to government those who want to abuse religion for other purposes.”
