Posts tagged Kenya
Amid Government Excesses, Kenya’s Catholic Bishops Regain Their Voice

As Ruto’s regime enters a new year struggling to win public acceptance, it is clear that the voice of the Catholic bishops is back and their political clout will increasingly reverberate in the corridors of power.. “A culture of lies is swiftly replacing integrity and respect in government,” said Bishop Dominic Kimengich of the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret, adding, “Kenyans deserve better!”

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Despite Debates Over Kirk Franklin, Fans Across Kenya Come Out To See Gospel Singer

(ANALYSIS) American gospel musician Kirk Franklin and his Maverick City shook off negative perceptions from Kenyan skeptics to stage a show. As fans gathered at the Ulinzi Stadium in Nairobi to dance to Franklin, critics chose to stay away. Those who believe they are defenders of the Christian faith warned that Franklin was no longer representative of Jesus.

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Why Gen Z Have Turned On Churches In Kenya During Anti-Government Protests

As the rattle of gunfire and the spirited sloganeering raged on in the streets, Gen Zers opened a new theater in this fight: training their rage on the church for allegedly working with the state. They have accused church officials of being subservient to the political class.

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Catholic Site Honoring Mary Draws Thousands Thanks To Its Miraculous Waters

Tucked away in the mountain range of the Kenyan Rift Valley, amid flourishing forests overlooking the vibrant little town of Subukia lies a Marian shrine. This special Catholic site dedicated to prayer regularly hosts of thousands of pilgrims from many parts of the world. It is also the source of the legendary water of the Subukia Shrine.

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Amid Ongoing Probe, A Christian University Fights For Its Identity

Daystar University, a Kenyan school whose academic programs started with a certificate course from Wheaton College and later rose to be a leader in the training of communicators in Africa, has been forced to defend its Christian identity after a Muslim member of parliament accused it of discriminatory practices.

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How Missionaries Created A ‘Perfect Environment’ Without Drugs And Alcohol

The little settlement of Kijabe, about a two-hour drive northwest from Nairobi, stands out as the only drug- and alcohol-free town in Kenya thanks to the legacy of American missionaries that arrived here over a century ago. In fact, the spiritual footprints of Rev. Charles E. Hurlburt are still visible in this part of Africa.

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Thieves In Uganda And Kenya Targeting Churches

Groups of thieves across Uganda and Kenya are breaking into churches, stealing and damaging expensive items kept inside the houses of worship. Since the start of the year, vandals have broken into at least seven churches in Uganda and ransacked them. Several churches in the neighboring Kenya have also been robbed in recent months.  

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The Westgate Mall Attack 10 Years Later: How It Changed Ways Kenyans Worship

(ANALYSIS) It was an attack that not only exposed Kenya’s lackluster security in public places — but changed the way Kenya’s churches handled worship services. For the first time ever, churchgoers were subjected to metal detectors, sniffer dogs and armed policemen camped outside buildings while services went on.

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Kenyans Commemorate Life Of Slain Priest Whose Murder Remains Unsolved

Catholics in Kenya commemorated the life of American missionary John Anthony Kaiser, a Catholic priest and human rights defender. He was particularly vocal in condemning politically motivated tribal clashes during the 1990s and whose assassination in the year 2000 shocked the country.

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Kenya’s Catholic bishops oppose content of sex education in schools

Kenya’s Conference of Catholic Bishops said it opposes the sex education content in the country’s primary education curriculum, citing flaws in the curriculum’s “permissive” framing and design. The bishops have further said the curriculum’s content would contribute to the rate of teen pregnancies and exacerbate moral decline in the East African country.

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Kenya’s Oldest Anglican Cathedral Gets New Provost

The Rev. Evans Omollo has been installed as the provost of Kenya’s oldest Anglican house of worship. As the new head of All Saints’ Cathedral in Nairobi, the 45 year old takes over from the Rev. Sammy Wainaina, who is moving to the global Anglican Church headquarters in the United Kingdom as an advisor.

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Kenyans in shock, demand regulation of churches as 98 dead in cult inspired fasting

Now the woman, known as Betty, is among the 98 people who fasted to death in the doomsday cult headed by Pastor Paul Mackenzie which has left Kenyans — and the world — shocked. With the Kenya Red Cross reporting more than 100 people still missing, the toll could reach 200 and beyond. From President William Ruto to church leaders and the public, Kenyans are now calling on the government to tighten laws governing the opening and operation of churches.

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After Pope Francis Visit, DRC Opens Baha’i House of Worship

It’s hoped that the new Baha’i house of worship in Kinshasa, Congo, which over 2,000 people from across the central African nation and around the world attended the official inauguration of, will be a “force for social betterment,” said Rachel Kakudji of the Baha’i Office of External Affairs there.

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Somali Women Recall Pain And Punishment Under Al-Shabaab

‘’The town is free, but my mind is not free, and I am still traumatized and remember the pain and punishment meted on women by al-Shabaab Shariah police,” Suleqha Mahat said. Her story is an example of the kind of displacement and migration experienced by many Somalians forced to leave their home country by radical Islamists.

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Inside A Kenyan Halfway House For Juveniles Leaving Prison, Inspired By The Prodigal Son

Lifesong is a halfway house that takes in young men who have left prison. It was founded by James Ouma in 2018. They are taught life skills and helped to reintegrate into society. It is the only one of its kind offering such services to that age group in Kenya.

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Story Of The Year Finalists To Speak At Religion News Association Awards

This week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights five finalists for the Religion News Association’s Story of the Year honor. Plus as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.

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Faith Sustained The World’s Best Athlete Through Years of Grinding Poverty

Mary Keitany is one of the finest athletes in the history of the world, with seven major marathon wins. She’s also a Catholic, mother, business owner and nonprofit board member who as a teen in poverty, dropped out of school to work as a housemaid. “God did amazing things for me,” she said.

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Christians Overcome Technological Fears To Share Jesus Around The World

For years, Fairfax church members — including older Christians such as Harrington, Jan Johnson and Juanita Wheeler — have connected in person with immigrants through FriendSpeak. But when the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown came in the spring of 2020, face-to-face studies with friends from China, El Salvador, Syria and elsewhere became impossible.

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How A Christian Education Shaped The Life Of The Late Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki

(ANALYSIS) As a child, the late Mwai Kibaki was taken to school by Consolata Missionaries because he did not have the strength for the back-breaking tasks of peasant farming and looking after animals. Those early interactions with Catholics became evident in Kibaki’s moderate dealings as a lecturer, politician and eventual president of Kenya.

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