Support Families Struggling to Cope With COVID-19 Effects, Religious Leaders Urge Kenyans

“The COVId-19 effects will still be felt in the society and in the families for a long time to come,” members of the council that was established in June 2020 to guide the resumption of public worship in Kenya say in their March 14 statement obtained by ACI Africa.

They implore, “Let us continue praying that God may help us make our contribution towards rebuilding our expressions of faith, and sustaining our society in all areas.” 

The call comes days after the Kenyan government announced the resumption of in-person gatherings including indoor meetings and public liturgical celebrations provided the participants and congregants are fully vaccinated.

In his March 10 message, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Health, Mutahi Kagwe, also lifted the mandatory wearing of face masks in public spaces and stopped temperature checks.

In their March 14 statement, representatives of religious leaders in Kenya say “God has certainly heard our prayers, as we can now operate in a more relaxed environment.”

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They, however, caution against complete laxity saying that care must be observed to avoid any physical contacts like shaking hands and sharing items during worship.

IFC members further urge worshippers to continue wearing masks in the places of worship. 

They add that all measures of hygiene such as the washing and sanitizing of hands before and after the worship services need to continue to be observed. 

“We still warn that the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over. The danger still hangs, even as it seems to wane in its infectious spread. We must not lower our guard,” the representatives of religious leaders in Kenya say.

They add, “We continue to be concerned about the political gatherings that have totally ignored any measures of protection, and the manner of crisscrossing of our nation.”

The tendency by politicians in Kenya to disregard “any measures of protection”, IFC members say, “remains the greatest danger and risk in case of any new outbreak.”

“We urge our political leaders to at least put in place some measures of protection, of avoiding hand-shaking and ensuring sanitization,” representatives of religious leaders in Kenya say in their March 14 statement.

They also encourage vaccination saying the jab “will strengthen our resistance for any eventual wave, and keep us operating normally.”

“We congratulate the Religious Leaders for the major role they have played, in encouraging our followers and availing our places of worship for the vaccination,” IFC members say in their March 14 statement obtained by ACI Africa.

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.