New report reveals how religion contributes to crime

                     Detectives exhuming bodies in Shakahola forest on June 12, 2023.

Fringe religious groups have been involved in criminal activities including the exploitation of the vulnerability of its followers, financial malpractices and promotion of false hope, a new report has shown.

A fringe church is a Christian denomination practicing doctrines or worship customs rejected by the majority of Christians.

The report, 'Religion and Crime in Kenya' also established that the religious groups have been exploiting children, using murder and killings, torture, isolation of members from family and prohibition of access to healthcare services for members.

Other activities include secrecy in worship, and prohibition of members from participation in civil affairs and risks to public order.

Explaining the activities, the authors of the report Kenneth Bundi Mbaya and Phyllis Muriuki said a section of churches have been exploiting their congregants by introducing rigorous prayer patterns as an overemphasized way of solving problems.

“Followers of these extreme religious groups have intensive prayer routines reminiscent of the Islamic religion but lack structured prayer times observed in Islam,” Mbaya and Muriuki said.

On murder and killing, they gave an example of the Shakahola tragedy that left hundreds dead after being indoctrinated to fast to death, with the promise of seeing Jesus.

In another incident in Kilifi County, elderly individuals were targeted for killings by their family members following pronouncements made by religious leaders on the allegations of them practicing witchcraft.

It turned out that the allegations were simply a ploy for land succession tussles, perpetuated by the religious leaders.

The report also established that there are religious groups who prohibit access to health for their members.

Members of these fringe religious groups observe strict adherence to belief in divine healing through prayers.

“Hospitals and conventional medical interventions are totally rejected evidenced by the practice of obsessive prayers for the sick and the active discouragement against seeking medical assistance from healthcare facilities by their members,” Mbaya and Muriuki added.

On the exploitation of children's education, the churches go against the Children’s Act No. 29 which guarantees the right to education for all children.

Some of these religious groups, the study findings established dissuade their members from allowing their children to schools, citing scriptures references as their justification.

The religious groups alluded that engaging in formal educational practices goes against the will of God.

These groups advocate for secrecy worshipping which is characterised by undisclosed worship locations and distinct rituals that deviate from conventional Christian or Islamic worship norms.

Some of these groups assemble for worship in the private homesteads of their adherents, while at other times, they opt to rent premises that are intermittently closed and relocate to elude local authorities.

The authors found out that there are instances where the places of worship become restricted zones, permitting entry to recognised members only, and stringent security measures are enforced often under vigilant tight security.

“These places of worship, at times, are highly guarded even militia are recruited to deny entry into and exit from the premises,” they added.

The sects also prohibit their members from participating in civic affairs including elections and immunisation campaigns.

The report showed that other groups even go beyond propagating radical ideologies.