By R, KNA
A section of religious leaders and human rights activists in Mombasa have strongly condemned the violence and use of teargas at Witima ACK Church in Othaya, Nyeri County, during a church service Sunday.
The incident disrupted worshippers including women and children, forcing many of them to flee in panic amid chaos.
Speaking at the offices of Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI) in Mombasa, Reverend Melchizedek Anyumba, who led the religious leaders, called for respect for all places of worship.
“We want all places of worship to be respected; be it churches or mosques. We want to ask the police to abide by the law. If you know there is a criminal in a place of worship, come in an orderly manner and wait till the service is over and detain them, without necessarily throwing teargas in places of worship,” said Rev. Anyumba.
He urged the government to ensure such incidents do not recur in sacred spaces, ahead of future elections.
Imam Ali Mohammad of Masjid Salam Bondeni echoed similar sentiments, stressing the sanctity of worship venues.
“To echo what my colleague has said, places of worship are sacred and areas of peace. If there is something that is not right, there is the right procedure to follow. If people go into places of worship and cause chaos, then it shows that the country no longer believes in God and this is a tragedy that saddens us,” said Imam Mohammad.
The leaders collectively appealed to the government to protect mosques, churches and other religious sites from such disruptions.
Salma Hemed, Chief Executive Officer of She Rises Organization, highlighted the particular vulnerability of women and children during such events.
“We know that the majority, who go to places of worship are women and children and when such ugly situations are witnessed, they are the most affected. How can a child and a pregnant woman run for their lives, when such things happen without them getting injured? We are greatly disappointed by such acts, said Hemed.
Another Human rights activist, Walid Sketty from Vocal Africa, also described the incident as a gross violation of the constitution.
“We are not offending anyone, but instead protecting the Constitution and places of worship for the common good. The Inspector General of Police is supposed to make sure that Kenyans are safe and alive. We activists together with religious leaders are saying that enough is enough, we are not ready for pre- and post-election violence,” said Sketty.
Francis Ouma, Rapid Response Officer at MUHURI, termed the act as impunity of the highest order. He linked it to broader concerns over unaddressed cases involving security forces.
“The police are getting away with cases not taken to court because of rampant impunity. We want those affected to record statements, so that one day somebody has to be responsible,” said Ouma.
The condemnation comes amid reports of an ongoing probe into the incident ordered by authorities, with various leaders across the country expressing similar concerns over the use of excessive force in a place of worship.
