A church report has ranked Kenya among the worst countries in regards to the treatment of Christian followers.
The report titled The World Watch List released by Open Doors USA, a community of Christians who come together to support persecuted believers in more than 60 countries, ranked Kenya as the 49th country where it is most difficult to be a Christian.
North Korea took the number one spot, a position it has retained for 20 years now followed by Afghanistan, with Somalia being the first African country on the list at number 3.
Other African countries where it is most difficult to follow Jesus include Libya (4), Eritrea (6) and Nigeria (9) with Kenya being the only East African country on the list.
According to the report, Christians with a Muslim background mostly from the North Eastern region of the country were the most susceptible to attacks.
The attacks were said to have emerged from their relatives with many persecutors walking scot free due to the rampant corruption in the correctional system.
"In Kenya, Christianity is the majority religion, but that hasn’t stopped the spread of persecution. Particularly, Christians with a Muslim background in the northeast and coastal regions live under constant threat of attack—even from their closest relatives.
"Our research revealed that Christians were attacked and forced to flee their villages, and Islamic extremist group Al-Shabab has infiltrated the local population to monitor the activities of Christians in those areas," read the statement in part.
"However, organized crime is also a serious problem. Corrupt officials often fail to take measures against persecutors—increasing the potential for further incidents against Christians," continued the report.
The organisation also noted that the brutality had remained constant in the country for the past three years although the country moved down five slots on the list.
"Christians living in and around the northeastern part of the country must live with the fear that they can be targeted at any time. Hotspots for attacks by al-Shabab include Mombasa, Mandera, Garissa, Wajir, Lamu and Tana River.
"In these areas, many local informants assist in organizing attacks on churches and Christians. As a result, many believers have chosen to relocate from these areas to the center of the country," revealed the report.
Open Doors organisation has been in existence for over 60 years.
