An estimated 100 worshippers from Mitume village in Kitale Town were arrested on June 12, while conducting unauthorised a special service to commemorate the Lord's Supper.
The Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) faithful had convened at the home of one of their members when the raid by government officials took place.
Footage from the service shows the group hurdled together in songs of worship as well as prayers, with none of them donning a mask.
In accordance with John 13: 14 which reads " Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet," the Trans Nzoia County residents followed suit and carried out the practice, as some embraced in groups of two and prayed for one another.
One of the parishioners, Destaria Lwangu, revealed that this was not their first run-in with the law, as 57 of them had been arrested on April 25, and forced into quarantine over a similar issue.
"They arrested us before and forced us into quarantine but the moment we came out we went up into the mountains wearing sacks.
"We fasted and prayed for 3 days straight, asking God to save our country from this pandemic," he explained.
The lead pastor of the congregation, Simon Wekesa, maintained that they had gathered because his church members had made it clear that they missed coming together for fellowship.
"Worshippers have missed some of these crucial practices that form part of the canons of our faith.
"If we fail to observe such (the Lord's Supper), including the washing of each other's feet, then we will be distancing ourselves from fellowshipping with Christ," he argued.
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He went further on to confess to having no legal documentation from government officials in the area, allowing them to gather for the service that lasted for approximately 4 hours before it was cut short.
"During times like this when disaster and darkness have filled the entire world, some decisions have to be made without seeking permission.
"When you decide to pray for the nation, you do not need permission to do it," Meshack Kasembeli, one of the SDA members asserted.
On March 15, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced measures to curb the spread of coronavirus in Kenya. He encouraged citizens to avoid crowded places, including places of worship.
This was affirmed by Health CS Mutahi Kagwe on March 22, when he announced the suspension of Church, mosque and other social gatherings in a bid to tame the further spread of coronavirus.
On June 5, Interior and Coordination CS Fred Matiang'i revealed that he had held talks with religious leaders over the possible gradual re-opening of places of worship.
