Clergymen and women have criticized the move by President Uhuru Kenyatta to close church operations in five counties among them, Kiambu, Machakos, Nairobi, Nakuru and Kajiado as a One Zoned Area in a bid to curb and contain coronavirus.
Addressing the media in Webuye town, the chairman of the Church and Clergy Association of Kenya Rev. Hudson Ndeda said after the second wave, high-ranking politicians never heeded to the call of the Ministry of Health laid down rules and regulations. They instead chose to go on with campaigns among them the BBI and therefore contributed a lot in the coming of the third wave.
He stated that it’s not a good idea and ill-advised for the president to punish churches instead of politicians. He noted that church leadership has been following up the health protocols all the time since the outbreak of Covid-19.
Rev. Ndeda affirmed that many churches have been having only 100 members and had well-planned services at different times and fumigating worshiping places every time as it’s required to help the government fight coronavirus.
“We have been in the forefront of helping the government to fight the virus as churches have been sensitizing their congregation all the time on how to prevent the spread of the virus,” said Rev. Ndeda.
His sentiments were echoed by Bishop. Samwel Manyonyi of Alliance Registered Churches in Kenya. Manyonyi claimed that the churches are being victimized wrongly for the mistake done by politicians who at all times been violating the Covid-19 regulations by holding rallies that have always been attended by large crowds that never observed the health protocols.
He has called upon the president to make sure that no politician holds any rally but instead allow churches to have services as they are ready to observe the health rules to the latter.
He also added that it’s only through prayers that the country will be able to fight and win the battle against the virus and appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to heed to their call and allow churches to operate in the said five counties.