Kenya’s churches reopen cautiously as COVID-19 infections are on the rise
A Catholic church in Mobasa, Kenya. Creative Commons photo by Zahra Abdulmajid.
KISUMU, Kenya—For Pastor Linda Awuory, it was an answered prayer. The head of the Through Me Ministry Church opened the doors to worshipers on July 19 after being shut down for several months on government orders aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.
The dozen or so worshipers who attended the service strictly observed the guidelines for re-opening set by the government-appointed Inter-Faith Council. Pastor Linda’s was one of only a few churches in Kenya that allowed congregations back for public worship.
Meanwhile, there is a strong debate whether the government is soft on bars and restaurants, while being hard on churches—with some pastors alleging there is a bias against Christians. At the same time, the number of coronavirus cases us rising daily; as of July 20, the country had recorded more than 13,000 cases and more than 200 deaths.
A death that jolted the country in particular was the passing of Charles Bukeko who died July 18 and was buried the 20th. Bukeko, a leading Kenyan actor and TV star, achieved global fame when he appeared in a Coca Cola commercial that was beamed worldwide just ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
As Kenyans were still processing Bukeko’s death, leading newscaster Jeff Koinange went on Twitter July to announce that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and was in self-isolation. “Folks, just to let you know, I have tested POSITIVE for COVID-19. I'm doing Good. NO symptoms...and my Family is fine. All my close contacts have been informed. Right now I'm in self-isolation. Many thanks to Royal Media Services Management for its Support. Stay SAFE& God Bless!,” the former CNN journalist tweeted.
Royal Media Services operates the same station Bukeko worked for. Their senior political reporter Stephen Letoo also just announced that he had tested positive and was in isolation.
Pastor Linda, saying that she made sure that her flock obeyed the safety regulations, still believes that the government was picking on churches.
“I feel the same way. We have rights to worship enshrined in the constitution and so now those very rights have been infringed upon. It does not make sense that bars are open, but churches get to have all these regulations. No sense at all! To God be the glory though that we can at least gather, albeit in small numbers,” she said.
Long before the interfaith guidelines for churches were announced, Health Minister Mutahe Kagwe had issued guidelines that saw bars and restaurants getting back to business. Under the rules, one could only be served beer with food.
Mutahe would later lament that some revelers had formed the habit of going to the eateries, order two sausages and then proceed to drink the whole day. The “Mutahe Kagwe Special” is what revelers nicknamed their new fare.
On July 6, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced an easing of the ban on places of worship, but with the stringent caveat that those ages 58 and older as well as children younger than 13 would not be allowed in churches, mosques and temples.
President Kenyatta said that the usual coronavirus protocols would still be maintained at worship services, including the washing of hands, the wearing of face masks, social distancing and a limit of 100 worshippers per service, with services not to last longer than one hour.
“I also further direct the following phase measures: that places of worship will commence phased re-opening for congregational public worship in strict conformity with all applicable guidelines and protocols, including the self-regulating guidelines that have been developed by our friends of the Inter-Faith council,” said President Kenyatta.
He also directed that Madrassas and Sunday schools will remain closed, and that those with pre-existing conditions will not be allowed to join public worship. According to the World Health Organization, pre-existing conditions include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer.
Limited by these measures, some churches have stayed closed. Some Church leaders felt that one hour was not enough for a proper service and opted to continue with the online services that have become very popular since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
By contrast, in neighboring Tanzania, President John Pombe Magufuli never closed churches, saying that people needed God more at this time of crisis. Tanzania’s neighbor Burundi also played down the impact of COVID-19, until mid-June when the country’s then-outgoing President Pierre Nkurunzisa died of the virus.
In South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the reopening of churches in the beginning of June, along with stringent conditions of only 50 worshippers per service and all the COVID-19 measures strictly observed.
“As a nation, we have a responsibility to respond to this aspect of the pandemic with as much effort and urgency as we have responded to the health crisis, and as we have acted to relieve the economic and social effects on our people. We have a responsibility to also take care of the spiritual, psychological and emotional well-being of all South Africans,” Voice of America quoted the president as saying.
President Ramaphosa was forced to reintroduce a ban on alcohol sales following an upsurge in drinking orgies and a spike in new infections.
Tom Osanjo is a Nairobi-based correspondent for Religion Unplugged. He is a former parliamentary reporter and has covered sports, politics and more at Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper.