A section of Kenya Kwanza lawmakers differed over the arrest of Pastor Ezekiel Odero of the New Prayer Centre and Church at Mavueni in Kilifi County on Thursday, April 27.
Through targeted appraisals, some legislators allied to the ruling coalition supported the arrest arguing that it was high time the state reigned in on churches. Another faction, however, criticised police actions of going after Pastor Ezekiel.
In a statement dated Thursday, April 27, Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa opined that the arrest of the televangelist was unwarranted.
Justifying his sentiments, the legislator argued that it was a blanket condemnation of religious leaders, some of whom he argued had followed the tenets of the Constitution as enshrined in the Freedom of Worship Act.
"I don't think it was warranted for police to arrest Pastor Ezekiel Odero.
"One criminal who was running a cult and another one referring to himself as Yesu wa Tongaren cannot be the cause and or result of a blanket condemnation of the church. God will punish us heavily for this," he argued.
His stance however clashed with that of Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale who lauded the move encouraging the police to go after religious leaders radicalising their believers.
Besides prosecuting the religious leaders, Khalwale called for the audit of men of cloth while comparing Pastor Ezekiel's church to a city in the US.
"It is refreshing that one of the senior Bishops in one of the churches has called for an audit - financial audit of leaders of churches. You can see they are opening the door for us.
"If you do a financial audit, the one who was arrested today, in the name of Ezekiel Odero, if you go to his compound, it is like you are in Los Angeles. This must stop,” Khalwale stated.
To further support his sentiments, Khalwale moved a motion at the Senate to establish a committee to investigate the proliferation of religious activities especially targeting Pastor Paul Mackenzie, linked to the death of over 90 people in Shakahola, Kilifi County.
Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana also supported the motion to probe the law enforcement officers who handled the case.
"We want the committee to act with a lot of boldness. We need them to call all the security heads that were dealing with this matter during that time. We want the truth to come out," Mungatana stated.
Rigathi and Dorcas Gachagua
Their sentiments came after Pastor Dorcas defended the church from clampdown, indicating that the case involving Pastor Mackenzie should be handled separately.
She, however, called for the prosecution of Pastor Mackenzie.
“If Paul Mackenzie is a criminal, he should be treated as an individual. Even his family should not be part of his crime. Paul Mackenzie is not the church. In fact, he has said he is not a pastor, but he is Mr. Paul," the Second Lady maintained.
Her sentiments echoed Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's declaration, where he opposed the blanket condemnation of religion. He, however, called for the prosecution of Pastor Mackenzie.
"The case in Kilifi showed that, like any other segment of society, even the church has some wrong people. But we cannot condemn the entire church because of the activities of two or three pastors," Gachagua stated.
Despite their different opinions, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki revealed that Pastor Ezekiel would be processed to face criminal charges related to the mass killing of his followers.
