In Summary
- Bishop Bernard Khatechi who is the Secretary General of a church group known as United Family, says that if found without the documents they, threaten to shut the churches
- Khatechi says that some of the areas where the harassment has been reported include Bungoma and Kakamega Counties and in Nairobi, they are Embakasi, Westlands and Kibera areas
A section of pastors has called on the government to stop using County Commissioners and police officers to harass them.
The pastors claim that Deputy County Commissioners and Officers Commanding stations are summoning preachers asking them to go to police stations with church registration certificates and preaching licenses.
Bishop Bernard Khatechi who is the Secretary General of a church group known as United Family, says that if found without the documents they, threaten to shut the churches.
Khatechi says that some of the areas where the harassment has been reported include Bungoma and Kakamega Counties and in Nairobi, they are Embakasi, Westlands and Kibera areas.
“The Government should stop harassing the Church through D.C.Cs and O.C.Ss as they are doing in Bungoma, Kakamega, Embakasi and Westlands where pastors with churches in the areas are requested to go to the police stations or D.C.C offices with Church registration certificates and preaching licenses,” said Khatechi.
Speaking at a media briefing Khatechi stated that no one should be barred from doing pastoral work however illiterate or educated.
“We wish to inform the Government that we have already registered our churches as per the law and pastoral work is a divine calling that either most educated person or the most illiterate person can do. It is our prayer that the church should be allowed to regulate itself by following the Biblical sound doctrine and the rule of law,” he said.
Pastor Ezekiel Is Innocent
United Family has also requested the government to stop harassing Pastor Ezekiel Odero and also to stop linking him with Pastor Paul Mackenzie.
Khatechi says anything investigations done on Pastor Ezekiel should not fall short of the law.
“Pastor Ezekiel is a man of God who is respected by many people and God is using him in different ways to save the lives of many people and helping many in different needs all over the country and even in East Africa hence he should not be linked with Makenzie’s criminal activities. The church should be investigated honourably as required by the laws of Kenya without intimidation, “he added.
The organisation faulted the Government for sleeping on their job when over 500 people are killed and buried in in mass graves.
By Jeremick Joe
