The government has taken action after a number of church organizations filed complaints about arrest by police while conducting services.
The church organizations, Kenya Church Ministers Forum (KCMF), Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK) and the Kenya National Congress of Pentecostal Churches noted that even after the government had allowed church clergy to visit their churches and conduct live streaming of their services, they were still being arrested.
A letter dated Thursday, May 7, by Kang'ethe Thuku on behalf of the Permanent Secretary (PS) for Interior and Citizen Services directed the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai to inform officers not to arrest the members of the clergy.
"This is to kindly inform your officers to facilitate the clergy who want to live stream church summons to their members," the letter read in part.
Thuku, however, noted that the members of the clergy and their support staff should not exceed 15 people and they should observe social distancing during the live streaming.
On March 22, the government banned church services and mosque prayers as part of a preventive measure to combat the spread of Coronavirus.
However, three petitioners moved to court to be allowed to resume but the court ruled that churches would stay closed until the determination of the petition.
The judge did not grant the prayer but directed for alternative forms of worship such as broadcasting the church service without breach of the government directives or regulations currently in force.
"Proceed through online and social media or any other form of the social platform the petitioner may access," High Court Judge Aaron Makau ruled on April 23.
A recent report released by A Thousand Watts, a communications consultancy firm, indicated that Christ is The Answer Ministries (CITAM) had topped an April 2020 survey in which digital engagement of 12 Kenyan churches was conducted.
The data was covered from live services streams and social media numbers, with Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, and web broadcast their points of focus.
