The Kenyan government will protect the freedom of worship despite a proposal to introduce a code of conduct for Kenyan religious centers, President William Ruto said in a speech at the service in Africa Internal Church Milimani, Nairobi, on Sunday.
"We will make sure that we protect the freedom of worship in Kenya. We will defend the right and the freedom of worship in Kenya, and it will not be compromised in whichever manner," Ruto said.
Religious leaders should be given the opportunity to develop their preferred policies on how they want to be regulated, the president also noted.
The speech comes after Ruto was presented with the Religious Organizations Bill in July, which proposes to establish the Religious Affairs Commission as well as introduce a code of conduct that will require churches to submit annual financial statements to the government in a bid to curb religious extremism and extortion.
Under the draft law, the commission will be tasked with registering religious organizations, umbrella religious organizations, and religious associations, and supervising religious affairs.
"Sensitize the public on religious liberty, religious tolerance, religious extremism, and abuse of the freedom of religion and belief; and the Religious Organizations Bill, 2024," the proposal states.