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Monday, 17 November 2014
Enough is Enough!! Kenya government confronts Kenya’s rotten prosperity gospel Movement : Kenya government Bans New Churches Amid 'Miracle-Faking Spree: Kenya Envengelical leaders accuse Attorney General Githu Muigai of persecuting Church
After TV exposé, attorney general seeks ways to reign in fake pastors.
Ruth Moon
[ posted 11/14/2014 10:40AM ]
KTN Kenya (YouTube screenshot)
This TV expose of Victor Kanyari led Kenya to ban new churches.
Prompted by news coverage of alleged illegal activity by pastors
promising miracles, Kenya’s attorney general has banned new religious
organizations from registering as the East African nation moves to
enforce stricter regulations on churches, mosques, and temples.
The registration ban will be in place indefinitely, and existing religious organizations must file details of their registration status and financial returns, according to the Daily Nation. Meanwhile, Kenyan attorney general Githu Muigai will meet today
with religious leaders from organizations including the Kenya Episcopal
Conference, the National Council of Churches of Kenya, the Hindu
Council of Kenya, the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims, and the
Inter-Religious Council of Kenya to discuss what new regulations might
look like, according to First Digital TV.
Mark Kariuki, chairman of the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, said in
advance of Friday's meeting that Muigai’s move to stop church
registration and regulate churches amounted to persecution, according to Kenya's Standard.
“We call on all Christians to support us and stand with us,” he said.
“When it comes to matters of faith, people are willing to die for the
faith and we will stand firm with the church.”
The government response came after TV station KTN's Jicho Pevu and
Inside Story broadcast a "Prayer Predators" exposé of preacher Victor
Kanyari, whom the station claimed had been making money
from his followers by asking them for advance payment for prayers and
miracles [see video below]. Kanyari, who preaches at Salvation Healing
Ministry, continued holding services but hired security to screen out visiting journalists, according to the Standard.
Kanyari admitted he coached members of his church to give false
testimonies, but said many people had been “healed and blessed in many
ways” by his ministry. He will be investigated for obtaining money by false pretenses, according to Kenya's director of public prosecutions.
The government will also attempt to amend the Societies Act, an act “for the registration and control of societies” that regulates Kenyan clubs and other organizations, to protect people “seeking religious nourishment,”
according to allAfrica.com. Muigai said he wants increased
accountability to curb pastors’ “miracle-faking spree.” His proposals
will regulate and manage
religious communities, including churches, mosques, and temples, in an
attempt to gain transparency and accountability, according to People Daily.
In Kanyari’s case, police plan to first interview worshippers who claim they were conned. Meanwhile, the Kenyan Daily Post released a list of pastors who have reportedly “perfected the art of stealing in the name of the Lord.”
This is not Kenya’s first attempt to regulate rogue preachers: In March 2013, CT reported on another controversial proposal to weed out “fake pastors” in Kenya, where “tales of dubious healings and questionable behavior” are common.
And in 2012, the Standard reported how evangelical groups in Kenya, including the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, banded together
in an attempt to self-regulate against pastoral deception and criminal
activity, which were “critically hurting the image of the Church.”
Attorney-General Githu Muigai during a meeting with journalists at a
Nairobi hotel on August 19, 2014. The government has now suspended the
registration of new religious organisations indefinitely. PHOTO | BILLY
MUTAI |
NATION MEDIA GROUP
By MAZERA NDURYA
The government has now suspended the registration of new
religious organisations indefinitely as it moves to streamline the
regulation of such entities.
The suspension takes effect on Tuesday, November 11.
In
a statement, Attorney-General Prof Githu Muigai also directed existing
religious organisations to file details of their current status and
financial returns with the Registrar of Societies.
That
information, the AG noted, must include the full name of the
organisation, a registration number, the date of registration and the
full particulars of office bearers, copies of identification cards,
passport-size photos and a copy of the Kenya Revenue Authority’s
personal identification number (PIN).
“The State Law
Office has also invited various religious organisations, (the)
parliamentary Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs and the Commission
on the Implementation of the Constitution for a meeting to be held on
Friday, November 14, to discuss proposed regulations on religious
organisations operating in Kenya,” said the AG.
RESTORE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE
He
said the move to regulate religious organisations was prompted by
recent media reports on the alleged illicit activities of certain
religious institutions and the need for remedial actions in order to
restore public confidence.
Among those invited to the
Friday meeting are Dr Francis Kuria of the Inter-Religious Council of
Kenya; Fr Vincent Wambugu of the Kenya Episcopal Conference (KEC); and
Rev Peter Karanja Mwangi, the general-secretary of the National Council
of Churches of Kenya (NCCK).
Others are Vanraj Sarvaiya
of the Hindu Council of Kenya (HCK) and Prof Abdul Gafar Al-Busaidy of
the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (Supkem).
Last
Sunday, the government said it was working on a model for registering
religious organisation following an exposé on preacher Victor Kanyari
that was broadcast on TV channel KTN.
A
statement from State House said that Prof Muigai had already proposed
to the government “a framework for registration and management of
religious communities.”
According to the proposal, only
churches, mosques and temples that reflect transparency, accountability
and spirituality will be registered.
The investigative
series had last week exposed malpractices by Mr Kanyari’s Salvation
Healing Ministry church that included coached testimonies, fake healings
and outright extortions.
ORDERED INVESTIGATIONS
Director
of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko on Thursday last week ordered an
investigation of the activities of the preacher.
Mr
Tobiko, in a posting on his official Twitter account, said the pastor
would be investigated for allegedly obtaining money by false pretence
and cheating.
Mr Kanyari admitted that he had coached
some members of his church to give false testimonies and make fake phone
calls on his radio programmes to dupe listeners.
“I
cannot say that I do not coach people to give testimonies,” said the
preacher, who was the subject of the exposé that has sparked outrage.
However, he said there were many people who had been “healed and blessed in many ways on a daily basis” through his ministry.
The
NCCK has come out in support of proposals to start registering churches
and mosques to stop them from being abused for personal gain.
“Religious
leaders are public officers and they should operate within the law and
those who flout this should be faced with a legal mechanism to check
their operations,” said Rev Karanja of the NCCK.
Clergy accuses Attorney General Githu Muigai of persecuting Church
Updated Friday, November 14th 2014 at 00:00 GMT +3
The Chairman of Evangelical Alliance Bishop Mark Kariuki
(centre), with other pastors addressing the press at AIC Milimani Church
Nairobi where they opposed controlling of Churches by the Government
PHOTO BY: GOVEDI ASUTSA/STANDARD]
Kenya: Some church leaders have opposed plans by the Government to tighten regulations on registration of religious organisations.
Led by Evangelical Alliance of Kenya Chairman Bishop Mark
Kariuki, they alleged that the move by the Attorney General Githu Muigai
to stop registration of new churches and his proposal to introduce
regulations amounted to persecuting the church.
They were addressing journalists at AIC Milimani Church where they met ahead of their meeting with the AG on Friday.
“We see this as persecution of the Church and we call on all
Christians to support us and stand with us. When it comes to matters of
faith, people are willing to die for the faith and we will stand firm
with the church,” said Kariuki (pictured).
The leaders, however, affirmed that they were ready for the meeting
with the AG, which will discuss proposed regulations on local religious
organisations.
The move by the AG after KTN exposed how a Nairobi pastor, Victor
Kanyari, has been fleecing his congregation by faking miracles.
The AG has directed existing religious organisations to file details
on their current status and financial returns with the Registrar of
Societies.
Among the details that the organisations are required furnish the
registrar with are a copy of Kenya Revenue Authority’s personal
identification number, full name of the organisation, a registration
number, date of registration, details of office bearers, copies of their
identification cards and their passport size photographs.
During the press briefing, Kariuki, argued that there is no need for the church to be punished for the since of one person.
Last week the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Keriako Tobiko
on his official twitter page said Pastor Kanyari of the Salvation
Healing Ministry Church should be investigated over allegations
obtaining money by false pretences.
He also urged KTN to help investigators in tracing the victims who were interviewed for the story.
Churches, mosques face tough new rules after the Kanyari ‘seed’ scandal
"Prophet" Victor Kanyari during an interview in the parking lot of a
popular city mall on November 4, 2014. The government on Sunday said it
is planning to start registering churches and mosques to stop them from
being abused for either personal gain or to cause insecurity. PHOTO |
DIANA NGILA |
NATION MEDIA GROUP
In Summary
This means churches, mosques and temples will be required
to meet specific conditions and abide by the proposed amendments to the
Societies Act before they can be allowed to operate.
At the
Coast, the infiltration of mosques by groups bent on radicalising the
youth has undermined security and destroyed the local economy. Interfering
But
the Evangelical Churches Alliance chairman, Bishop Mark Kariuki, former
National Council of Church of Kenya (NCCK) boss Mutava Musyimi and
Kenya Muslim National Advisory Council chairman Sheikh Juma Ngao warned
against government regulation of religion.
By BERNARD NAMUNANE By JAMES KARIUKI
The covernment on Sunday said it is planning to start
registering churches and mosques to stop them from being abused for
either personal gain or to cause insecurity.
Good
intentions notwithstanding, religious groups will be uncomfortable with
such a decision because it suggests that the government wants to control
religion.
On Sunday, State House said Attorney-General
Githu Muigai had drafted regulations on registering and managing
churches, mosques and temples.
The regulations will be
handed over to a task force whose members will be named soon and whose
responsibility will be to fine-tune them before they become law.
This
means churches, mosques and temples will be required to meet specific
conditions and abide by the proposed amendments to the Societies Act
before they can be allowed to operate.
However,
religious leaders yesterday warned the government against the decision,
saying that the Constitution guarantees them freedom of worship.
KANYARI EXPOSE
“The
#AG has proposed to the Govt (government) a framework for registration
& management of religious communities,” the Presidential Strategic
Communications Unit said through its twitter handle — PSCU_Digital.
The
move comes in the wake of an expose about the exploits of Salvation and
Healing Ministry preacher Victor Kanyari, who has been making money
from his followers through fake miracles. According to the documentary,
he used to ask his congregation to send Sh310 through mobile money
transfer before they could receive prayers and miracles.
The
government’s response also comes against the backdrop of increased
radicalisation of youths in mosques, with the government warning that
mosques would not be allowed to be used as breeding grounds for
terrorists.
Responding to questions raised about Mr
Kanyari, State House said Prof Muigai had submitted a list of
requirements and conditions that religious organisations would meet
before being cleared to operate.
It said all religious
organisations would be required to prove their “transparency,
accountability and spirituality” in order to be registered.
“#AG
says churches, mosques and temples that reflects transparency,
accountability and spirituality will be registered,” it said.
'WORK IN PROGRESS'
“A task force to advice on the amendment/overhaul of the societies act shall be announced soon,” the statement said.
Contacted
Sunday, Prof Muigai said that the draft regulations were a “work in
progress” and were an outcome of the public demand for government to do
more to protect them from religious leaders whose credibility was in
question.
“The idea of religious freedom is
fundamental. However, it cannot be left without oversight. People want
the government to do more,” he said.
Under the current
regime, churches and mosques are registered as charities under the
Societies Act. However, the advent of evangelical churches appears to
have thrown a challenge to the government by making it impossible to
draw a line between the spiritual side of the churches and the
commercial aspect that accompanies them.
At the Coast,
the infiltration of mosques by groups bent on radicalising the youth has
undermined security and destroyed the local economy. Interfering
GOVERNMENT WARNED
But
the Evangelical Churches Alliance chairman, Bishop Mark Kariuki, former
National Council of Church of Kenya (NCCK) boss Mutava Musyimi and
Kenya Muslim National Advisory Council chairman Sheikh Juma Ngao warned
against government regulation of religion.
Bishop
Kariuki, who spoke by phone, accused the government of interfering with
freedom of worship even as he accused the Registrar of Societies of
approving new churches without due diligence.
He said
it was wrong to use pastor Kanyari as the reason to come down hard on
churches that were working within the provisions of the law.
“One rotten tomato does not mean all tomatoes are rotten. If they go there, we will have a problem,” he said.
Sheikh Ngao warned that the planned regulation should not be used by the government to keep people from places of worship.
However, he condemned religious leaders who were using the Bible to extort money from their flock.
DPP orders police to investigate preacher Victor Kanyari
'Prophet' Victor Kanyari during an interview in the parking lot of a city mall on November 4, 2014. PHOTO | DIANA NGILA |
NATION MEDIA GROUP
By EVELYNE MUSAMBI
Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko on Thursday ordered an investigation of embattled preacher Victor Kanyari.
Mr
Tobiko, in a posting on his official Twitter account, said the pastor
would be investigated for allegedly obtaining money by false pretence
and cheating.
“DPP orders Pst. Kanyari be probed 4
crimes of obtaining by false pretences; cheating, etc. after expose' by
KTN #JichoPevu,” read the tweet.
The preacher has been
trending on Twitter since Sunday after the investigative series exposed
malpractices in his Salvation Healing Ministry church.
Mr
Kanyari was captured on tape coaching people to offer false testimonies
and using potassium permanganate to create illusions of miracles being
performed on devotees.
NO APOLOGIES
In an interview with the Nation on Tuesday, the preacher made no apologies and admitted to coaching his staff to give testimonies.
He
also admitted that it was wrong to have faked phone calls during a
recording of a radio show, stating: “It was not a live recording. We did
that to encourage people to call so that they can receive their prayer.
I am just a human being who makes mistakes like any other person.”
Mr
Kanyari is the son of disgraced self-proclaimed prophetess Lucy Nduta,
who was jailed for two years for fraud after she was exposed by the Sunday Nation for faking healings.
He
insisted that God speaks to him “normally” as human beings would
converse and his gift of prophesy is as “real” as the “miracles” that he
performs.
