KENYA: Inter-faith Council Calls for Preparedness for Safety As Places of Worship Re-open
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
After President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta announced the phased re-opening of public worship in conformity with all applicable health guidelines and protocols to ensure safety of congregants, the Inter-Faith Council that was constituted by government mid-June has asked citizens not to be in a hurry but to prepare well so as to prevent the risks that may lead to spread of Coronavirus when the faithful attend worship.
“Let us not rush without preparations. We all understand the great eagerness and longing we have, but with some patience and preparations we can safely reunite in our places of worship,” reads press statement of the Inter-Faith Council signed by the chairman, Archbishop Anthony Muheria.
The Council invites all religious leaders to be concerned about the lives of the congregants as it assures all citizens that “together we can safely manage the return to our places of worship.”
The faith leaders who have had eight consultation meetings to collect suggestions on the matter advised that there must be a pre-opening stage before full-phased reopening of places of worship, followed by other phases dependi
of the Nyeri Archdiocese
and members of Inter-Faith Council
ng on the situation of the infection trend and the level of compliance during congregational gatherings.
In his address on Monday, July 6, President Uhuru Kenyatta asked the Inter- Faith Council “to take up the task of sensitizing and publicizing” the guidelines they have developed towards resumption of worship.
In response, the Council stated in their statement, “We have planned together with a number of other religious leaders to visit the counties to share and get feedback of these guidelines in order to accommodate new ideas, and assure that all religious leaders are well versed.”
“We believe that the religious leaders have a key role to play in effectively fighting the Covid-19, by taking the frontline in advocacy and spiritual persuasion of the congregants,” they added.
Besides, the Inter-Faith Council recommends the formation of Interfaith Committees at the Sub-county, and County levels to help oversee the compliance of congregations in all places of worship to the guidelines.
