Government will not control the church: DP Gachagua
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua says that the government will not regulate the church but rather it (the church) should do so by itself.
Gachagua said that a task force has been created to work on a code of conduct that all churches can abide by.
“We want to say our government respects the constitution and the constitution grants the freedom of worship. I want to assure you the government will never attempt to control the church; as far as President Ruto and I are concerned,” DP Gachagua said.
Gachagua’s statement comes amidst a crackdown on rogue churches across the country such as in the case of the Shakahola cult led by Paul Mackenzie which has so far claimed the lives of 419 people.
Paul Mackenzie has been in detention for approximately three months now over his attachment to the deadly starvation cult.
On Friday, August 4 officials from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP )Father John Pesa’s Coptic Church in Kisumu allegedly discovered four graveyards in the compound.
The Director of Public Prosecutions officials said more graveyards could be in the premises.
Upon being questioned about the graveyards Father Pesa said he had buried some bodies of sisters that used to serve in his church.
“There are sisters who volunteered to work for they church who got buried here. They could be taken to their homes,” Father Pesa said.
This is not the first time the controversial preacher has had DPP officials on his neck. Last month several people suspected to be mentally ill were rescued from his church.
The rescue operation which was led by the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on the Proliferation of Religious Organisations found the people allegedly chained and locked up inside the Coptic Holy Ghost Church said to be owned by the preacher.