President William Ruto
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During Diwali celebrations at State House, Nairobi, on Wednesday, President William Ruto firmly reasserted his administration's commitment to protecting religious freedom in Kenya.
The President emphasizes that the government would safeguard every citizen's constitutional right to worship, citing the constitution's preamble which acknowledges divine supremacy and religious liberty. Addressing growing concerns about potential religious restrictions, Ruto urges Kenyans to dismiss what he terms as propaganda regarding limitations on religious practices. He stresses Kenya's identity as a God-fearing nation and reaffirms the government's dedication to upholding constitutional provisions protecting religious freedoms. These assurances come amid controversy surrounding the Religious Organisations Bill (2024), introduced by Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana.
The proposed legislation seeks to establish a comprehensive registry of religious organizations and would grant authorities the power to regulate both religious institutions and their leaders. This initiative has met strong opposition from church leaders who have appealed to political leadership to withdraw support for the bill. The legislative proposal follows the establishment of an 18-member task force, led by Reverend Mutava Musyimi, which was formed in response to the tragic Shakahola deaths. This task force was commissioned to identify vulnerabilities in the current system that enable extremist religious organizations to operate and to develop a framework for preventing such groups from establishing themselves in Kenya.
The Shakahola tragedy, which resulted in hundreds of deaths among followers of Paul Mackenzie's Good News International Church, brought the issue of religious extremism to the forefront of national attention. Mackenzie allegedly convinced his followers to fast to death, promising they would meet Jesus, leading to one of Kenya's most devastating cult-related incidents. The Religious Organisations Bill proposes comprehensive measures including mandatory registration, financial transparency requirements, and penalties for fraudulent religious practices. It also outlines the creation of a Religious Affairs Commission to oversee these regulations. Despite these regulatory efforts, President Ruto's administration maintains that such measures aim to protect rather than restrict genuine religious practice in Kenya.
Ruto has also unveiled plans to establish Diwali as a national holiday, proposing November 1 as the designated date for this Hindu festival celebration. In addressing the timeline for implementation, the President expresses his intention to collaborate closely with National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula to ensure the bill's passage prior to the 2025 Diwali celebrations. Ruto emphasizes that the constitutional right to religious practice extends to every Kenyan, regardless of their faith or background. The President is resolute in his declaration that any infringement upon religious freedom would constitute a violation of Kenyan law.