The members of the Presidential Taskforce on the Legislative Regulatory Framework for Religious Organisations, led by Sheikh Abdisakon Mohammed, visited the Deputy Governor, Dr. John Erus, to provide a briefing on their progress in carrying out the mandate assigned to them by the President. The mandate pertains to developing legislation and a regulatory framework for religious organizations and was triggered by an event that took place in Shakahola, Kilifi County. The Taskforce’s visit is to identify any gaps in the current regulatory framework, understand the prevailing situation, ensure that the trajectory aligns with the practice of faith, and identify potential loopholes that individuals may exploit to promote extreme or cultic tendencies. ‘By learning from past experiences and projecting into the future, the Taskforce aims to develop a comprehensive plan for the Country that allows for the practice of faith without endangering lives’, Sheikh Mohammed said. Deputy Governor Dr. John Erus provided his input on the legal and regulatory framework for religion. He emphasized that freedom of religion does not imply that religion should be exempted from monitoring or registration. ‘The need for clarity regarding the establishment of churches and other religious organizations should be spelled out, as it is currently challenging to discern who may be exploiting cultic practices to manipulate people’, Dr. Erus stated. He supported the idea of establishing a church commission that could identify and distinguish genuine religious organizations from those with ulterior motives. DG raised concern over the growing challenge of religious groups and churches springing up everywhere in the County. The meeting was attended by members of the Taskforce, including Senior Counsel Charles Kanjama, Mary Kitegi, Cynthia Liavule, and Munga Michael.

Source: Kenya News Agency