The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) has faulted the government over the Shakahola deaths.
SUPKEM blamed the government citing laxity in imposing strict measures to prevent fraudulent religious leaders from manipulating their followers.
Moreover, the Council of Kenyan Muslims while presenting their views to the Senate AdHoc Committee, noted that if there were regulatory frameworks within which any doctrine-teaching individual would operate, then the Shakahola cult could have been prevented.
“The government starting with the police, National Intelligence Service, Government, political leaders and the ministry of interior slept on their job in regard to Paul Mackenzie’s activities thus allowing the death in Shakahola to happen,” stated Sheikh Hasaan Ole Nado.
Sheikh Hasaan proposed the need to form gatekeeping committees to regulate and oversight religious bodies.
“We propose that every religious umbrella organization [should] establish a caucus or doctrinal committee where distinguished religious scholars within its religious structures whose work will be to independently review teachings of religions and guide their followers accordingly,” he said.
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“Kenyans have reached dangerous levels of socio-economic desperation to the extent that they are too gullible to religious misadventure as an escape to dire desperation.” Sheikh Hasaan added.
Nevertheless, the government is presently investigating the deaths as well as allegations of torture and inhumane treatment of followers of controversial pastor Paul Mackenzie and his Good News International Church based in Kilifi County.
The controversial preacher if presently serving a 30-day detention as of May 10, alongside 17 other suspects including his wife.
