Ruto receives Shakahola taskforce brief on regulating religious organisations
By Farhiya Hussein |
The Shakahola tragedy has exposed the urgent need for national reforms to protect genuine religious practices while preventing exploitation and radicalisation disguised as religious expression.
President William Ruto has been briefed by the Presidential Taskforce on the Review of the Legal and Regulatory Framework Governing Religious Organisations in Kenya, established in response to the devastating Shakahola forest massacre.
This task force, formed in May of the previous year following the deaths of over 400 individuals under the orders of Paul Mackenzie of the Good News International Church, has been pivotal in addressing the gaps that allowed extremist religious groups to operate unchecked.
Chaired by Reverend Mutava Musyimi, the 17-member task force has uncovered alarming abuses of religious freedom, reflecting on the misuse of religious platforms to commit violence.
The Shakahola tragedy has exposed the urgent need for national reforms to protect genuine religious practices while preventing exploitation and radicalisation disguised as religious expression.
The task force's report emphasises the importance of religion in Kenya, as stated in the preamble to the 2010 Constitution, which affirms Almighty God's supremacy and the critical role of religious institutions in advancing the common good.
However, the Shakahola tragedy demonstrated that these organisations may be influenced to commit violent crimes, undermining Kenyan society's values of peace and harmony.
To inform their recommendations, the task force conducted benchmarking visits to Tanzania, Rwanda, the United Kingdom, and the United States between September 25 and October 28, 2023.
The visits aimed to enhance the task force's understanding of effective regulatory models for religious organizations. They gathered information on legal frameworks, monitoring systems, standards, and certification requirements, as well as approaches to religious education and civic awareness to counter extremism.
In the United States, the task force engaged with institutions such as the Department of Homeland Security and the US Institute of Peace Security. In the United Kingdom, they interacted with UK Religious Ministers and the Kenyan Diaspora Community. These visits provided valuable insights into best practices and challenges in regulating religious organisations.
Key recommendations from the task force include the enactment of a distinct law focused on religious matters, the establishment of a commission to oversee religious organisations, and allowing umbrella bodies to facilitate self-regulation.
In addition, they emphasised the need to regulate religious content in the media, create awareness on digital and social media, provide civic education on religious extremism, and enhance religious education in schools.
The task force's findings and recommendations will now inform the development of a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework aimed at preventing the exploitation of religious freedoms and ensuring that religious organisations contribute positively to society
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