With the government hungry for a YES win,
after
receiving assurances it would attract US investment , the constitutional
referendum on 4 August 2010 threatens to split the Kenyan Church into
pro-government vs dissident/oppositional camps.
Religious liberty observers must watch Kenya to see if
this division translates into favoured vs persecuted status.
Kenyan churches are united in their support for constitutional
reform, but not in their support for the draft constitution that will go to a
referendum on 4 August. Most churches are advocating a 'NO' vote because the
draft constitution makes abortion more accessible; it entrenches Kadhi (Islamic)
courts; and it advances ethnic federalism (Balkanisation/Majimbo) which many
fear could trigger ethnic violence.
On Sunday 13 June, six died and over
100 were wounded when a church-run 'NO' rally in Nairobi was bombed. Tensions
are extremely high.
The Kenyan government desperately wants the
constitution passed. This puts much of the Kenyan church in the dangerous
position of political opposition in a country known for its propensity for
political violence.
(See earlier post:
KENYA's
churches oppose draft constitution over concerns about abortion, 'Balkanisation'
and Kadhi (Islamic courts). 16 June 2010)
CRACKS EMERGE
A group of clergymen
operating under the banner,
Christians for Yes, have
come out in defence of the draft constitution and are advocating a 'YES' vote.
The group, led by retired Anglican Archbishop David Gitari, includes PCEA cleric
Timothy Njoya, bishops Peter Njenga, Beneah Salala and Mwai Abiero as well as
the Rev John Njenga of the Anglican Church of Kenya, evangelical bishop Patrick
Mungai, and outspoken Catholic priest Ambrose Kimutai.
Speaking at a
ceremony recently, Dr Gitari exhorted Christians to fight falsehoods peddled by
preachers who oppose the draft. He trivialised the amendments to the abortion
law and claimed that fears over Sharia laws were misplaced fears. "There is a
lot of
sharia-phobia in the Christian
church," he said. "More than 80 per cent of Kenyans are Christians. There is no
way 20 per cent can push their way over everybody."
(emphasis mine)
According to Dr Njoya,
church leaders who advocate 'NO' have abandoned the gospel and are peddling lies
on the kadhi courts and abortion. "They have substituted 'No' for God," he said.
"Christians should boycott such churches. These peddlers of lies should be
smoked out. Their conduct has shown that the church needs redemption."
MP
Professor Nyong'o supported Dr Njoya and compared church leaders opposed to the
constitution to Pharisees in the Bible who rejected Jesus.
At a
subsequent press conference, the Nairobi archbishop of the Catholic Church, John
Cardinal Njue and the Anglican head, Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, along with
Bishop Mark Kariuki, maintained that the Church leadership would not relent in
its quest to shoot down the document, but also, they would not being forcing
anyone to vote against their conscience.
See:
Reformers Take Battle to
Church
By Emeka Gekara-Mayaka, 7 July 2010
Kenya:
Cracks in Church as Clerics Join 'Yes'
By Peter Leftie, Daily Nation
(Kenya), 22 July 2010
DANGERS
LURK
Meanwhile, Church leaders in the 'NO' camp report receiving
threats on their mobile phones. On Saturday 17 July, a renegade 'pastor', John
Kamau, and two accomplices were arrested and charged with being in possession of
explosive materials and for plotting to bomb a 'NO' campaign rally in
Mombasa.
See:
Police question
man found with explosives
By FRED MUKINDA, Daily Nation (Kenya), Sunday,
July 18 2010
PHOTO: Some of the 300 bomb detonators that police recovered
from a suspect in Ongata Rongai, Nairobi July 10, 2010. Police arrested two men,
one of them a pastor and recovered bomb material in their car July 17,
2010.
Pastor
with bomb had bus ticket to Coast
By Cyrus Ombati, Standard Media, 19
July 2010
Bomb
pastor faces seven years in jail
By NICHOLAS NGOLYO, Daily Nation
(Kenya), Monday, 19 July 2010
PHOTO: Rev John Kamau Mbugua in Kibera court
on Monday 19 July.
--
Posted By E.N. Kendal. Religious Liberty
Monitoring to
Religious
Liberty Monitoring at 7/27/2010 09:03:00 PM