NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 30 — The Presidential Taskforce on the Review of the Legal and Regulatory Framework Governing Religious Organisations in Kenya has proposed the establishment of a Religious Affairs Commission to complement self-regulation of religion with government oversight.
The taskforce, established in May 2023 in the wake of retrieval of bodies from mass graves linked to a starvation cult in Kilifi’s Shakahola forest, further recommended the enactment of statutes for religious organisations.
The cult, led by detained teleevengelist Paul Mackenzie, is blamed for over 400 deaths.
In a report presented to President Ruto on Tuesday, the taskforce also recommended the amendment of the Kenya Information and Communication Act and relevant statutes, formulation, implementation and enhancement of multi-sectoral collaborative reporting mechanisms and the amendment of the Kenya Information and Communication Act and relevant statutes.
“To institutionalise the recommendations, the Taskforce has developed a Draft Religious Organisations Policy, 2024, a Draft Religious Organisations Bill, 2024 and a Draft Regulation of Organisations (General) Regulations, 2024,” the Reverend Mutava Musyimi-led taskforce proposed.
Freedom of religion
The 17-member committee pointed out that the recommendations in the report advocate safeguards and protection of the freedom of religion, while at the same time mitigating the potential to inflict harm upon the citizenry.
The presentation on the report came hot on the heels of the exumation of two morebodies in Shakahola on June 12 as athorities commenced fifth phase.
The discovery brings the total death toll to 448 according to Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor.
The exercise, undertaken by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) homicide department in collaboration with other agencies, will continue parralel with DNA anaysis.
“We have about 50 graves identified which we are going to work on until we finish up,” Oduor said.
The State detained Mackenzie, his wife and 93 other suspects at Shimo la Tewa Prison, Mombasa, in April 2023 amid an ongoing case including terrorism charges.
