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This is religious intolerance
The Nation (22.05.2002)/HRWF International Secretariat (23.05.2002) - Website http://www.hrwf.net - E-mail info@hrwf.net- Kenya, for very good reason, is a secular state which also accommodates freedom of worship.
This freedom of worship applies not just to those who profess adherence to Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and other exotic faiths, but also to those who prefer to remain true to traditional religion and to atheists, agnostics and others who remain sceptical or deny the existence of any Supreme Being at all.
It is not by accident that modern democracies are by and large secular states. On the one hand, it is a basic and fundamental right for one to worship or not worship, as he pleases. On the other, there is the recognition that a clash between political and religious fervour would make for an incendiary mix.
A Nyeri court, however, appears to be deeply ignorant of the whole philosophy behind freedom of worship.
On Monday, Julia Wanjiru Nduhia was sentenced to six months in jail on charges of behaving in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace.
Ms Nduhia heads a traditionalist sect, and apparently preached at a bus stage deep in Nyeri a message to the effect that Jesus Christ never existed. She preached a return to Kikuyu traditional forms of worship and also advocated revival of customs such as female circumcision.
Is that, really, a criminal offence? The court might well have been persuaded that the subject the accused chose might be deemed provocative in an area where presumably the people are deeply united in their attachment to the Christian faith.
It might even be considered irresponsible, insensitive and provocative to take certain religious messages where they are not wanted.
That still does not amount to behaving in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace. If anything, the role of the state in such situations should be to safeguard the freedom to worship and proselytise.
That might be the ideal situation. But if it would be impractical to ask that of the state in present day Kenya, one should still not expect the state to come across as an agent of religious intolerance and bigotry.
That is what the state does when it arrests and charges somebody for merely preaching his or her beliefs.
The judiciary compounds the error by actually going ahead to mete out an unjust punishment.
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Spiritual Leader of Religious Sect Arrested
Xinhuanet (01.05.2002)/ HRWF (01.05.2002) Email info@hrwf.net - Website http://www.hrwf.net - The spiritual leader of a religious sect, "Tent of the Living God", and over 30 members of his group have been arrested here after attending an illegal demonstration, the Kenya Times reported Wednesday.
According to the daily, the spiritual leader, Ngonya wa Gakonya, was arrested on Tuesday after addressing a press conference at the Chester House in Nairobi where the sect members had converged to denounce the group's involvement with an illegal sect, Mungiki.
A local police officer confirmed the arrest and said the demonstration was illegal because Ngonya did not issue a three-day notice prior to the event.
"According to the law of the country, anyone must be licensed to address a public gathering," he added. The police also confirmed that they had confiscated six Somali swords and some tobacco snuff and clubs from the group, and that the sect spiritual leader is expected to appear in court soon.
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Police Arrest Seven Doomsday Cult Members
By Peter Mutai
The East African Standard (21.03.2002) / HRWF International Secretariat (22.03.2002) C Website http://www.hrwf.net - At least seven members of a doomsday cult who had locked themselves in a secluded den for two weeks in Bahati Division, Nakuru District, were yesterday arrested.
Local deputy police boss, Mr John Katumo, said the culprits include four women and three men. He said the members of Emmanuel Church had sold their property and withdrawn their children from school in readiness for "Christ's comeback" on April 24.
Katumo said the suspects had written letters to relatives asking them to go and bid them farewell as they were on their way to Heaven".
He said relatives informed police who launched a manhunt for the cult members.
"The suspects are being held at Bahati Police Station and are assisting us with investigations which will lead to the arrest of their leaders," Katumo said.
The arrest comes barely a week after another 11 members of the same cult, who had locked themselves in a secluded house in Elburgon, were nabbed by police.
Early this year, police launched a manhunt for a similar group that had been operating in the Gilgil area.
A primary school teacher had reportedly absconded duty after joining one of the cults. The female teacher was reported to have also withdrawn her two children from school. One child was in Standard Two and the other in nursery school.
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Mungiki: Are They Above the Law?
The East African Standard (06.03.2002.) / HRWF International Secretariat (14.03.2002) C Website http://www.hrwf.net C Email info@hrwf.net- Outraged religious and political leaders yesterday charged that Mungiki people have been operating as if they were above the law.
Mungiki, a tradition-based, religious-cum-political outfit, is blamed for the cold-blooded killing on Sunday night of 23 people in Kariobangi North area of Nairobi.
And the police were accused of turning a blind eye to Mungiki as it grew from a controversial and little-known sect to a major security problem.
In Sunday night's operation carried out under the cover of darkness, the unsuspecting victims were hacked or clubbed to death in the streets, bars and houses or as they walked home from work.
Initial reports said the Mungiki were avenging the killing of two of their own on Saturday morning in a confrontation with a vigilante group that operates in the area.
Leaders were at a loss to explain how a 300-strong gang, armed with crude weapons, could descend on defenceless people and wreak havoc for three hours without the intervention of the security forces.
And as calm returned to Kariobangi North, Mungiki denied they were involved in the grisly killings. But Assistant Minister Fred Gumo and Minister Shariff Nassir charged that the sect had a political agenda in perpetrating the killings.
The killing of 23 people in Kariobangi North by Mungiki sect members elicited bitter and furious reaction from a cross-section of Kenyans.
Religious leaders, politicians and Nairobi residents were unanimous that the mayhem had become a major security threat.
Catholic Archbishop Ndingi Mwana a'Nzeki said despite receiving reports of the impending attack, police treated the matter casually and only mobilised its forces after the damage had been done.
Ford People presidential candidate, Mr Simeon Nyachae, wondered whether Mungiki was above the law .
Nyachae expressed outrage and disappointment at what he described as "indefensible heinous act of cold-blooded brutality by human beings against others."
He said Kenya is soon turning into a jungle where human life matters little to others and ordinary people are mere statistics. "Mungiki youth and their hirelings have been having running battles with the rest of society for a long time now while security forces have watched feigning helplessness," he said.
Ford Kenya Nairobi branch chairman Ferdinand Wanyonyi said the lorries used to ferry the groups to Kariobangi should be identified and their owners arrested.
Dagoretti MP, Beth Mugo, called for an urgent meeting between the Provincial Administration and Nairobi leaders to address the problem of rising insecurity.
Speaking at his Holy Family Basilica office, Ndingi questioned how 300 armed people, transported in lorries, can descend on an area without the intervention of the security forces.
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State and church urged to wage battle on cults
by Allan Odhiambo
World Religion News Service (09.01.2002)/ HRWF International Secretariat (10.01.2002) - Website: http://www.hrwf.net - Email: info@hrwf.net - A policy should be formulated to eliminate evil cults countrywide, an MP suggested yesterday. Rarieda's Odeny Ngure called on the government and mainstream churches to co-operate in this effort.
Many people in the rural areas had lost their lives due to doctrines and teachings of such cults, he said. Some of the cults forbade their followers from seeking treatment for diseases such as malaria, which the government was keen on eradicating.
This has led to deaths which could have been prevented. Mr Ngure spoke during the funeral of a businessman, Mr Benson Awinyo, on Monday. The National Development Party MP called on wananchi to seek proper medical treatment - and supplement it with prayers.
Kisumu Town West MP Joab Omino called on the public to help identify false healers who were fleecing people of their money claiming to have a cure for Aids. Mr Omino, who is also the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, urged politicians to help the church in educating wananchi on moral values. On the Kanu-NDP merger, he said the negotiations process was on the right track and was near completion.
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