Catholic Entity Petitions Kenya's President to Lift Ban on Registration of New Churches

In the petition addressed to President Kenyatta, CitizenGo Africa officials add, “When you were vying to be re-elected in 2017, you promised to lift the ban but this seems to be seen yet your reign ends in a few months.”

“Please stop using your government to stifle religious freedom in Kenya, order with immediate effect the resumption of registration of churches in Kenya,” the CitizenGo Africa officials say. 

Officials of the human rights organization say the Kenyan President needs to lift the ban “as soon as possible” because “religious freedom in Kenya is at stake.”

When announcing the ban on the registration of new churches, the former AG, Githu Muigai, asked all religious organizations incorporated in Kenya to file returns with the Registrar of Societies and provide information about their respective entities, including their full name, date, and registration number.

Different human rights entities have called on the AG in Kenya to lift the ban on the registration of new churches in the East African nation.  

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In 2017, the East African Centre for Law and Justice said the ban "obstructs the freedom of worship and the right of expressing one’s religious beliefs." 

The February 7 CitizenGo Africa Petition comes days after the wife of Kenya’s former Prime Minister called for the regulation of churches.

In her message which she later retracted, Mrs. Ida Odinga called on the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) to regulate churches and streamline the consistency and relevance in their doctrines and messages, especially the small churches.

CitizenGo Africa officials are mobilizing signatures that are to be submitted alongside the petition in calling for the lifting of the ban on registration of new churches in Kenya.

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.