Keep off our money, church tells government
By NGARE KARIUKI
Evangelical church leaders have asked worshippers to send money to televangelists via M-Pesa in defiance to the new laws seeking to curb the extortion of unsuspecting viewers by rogue preachers.
Chairman of the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya Bishop Mark Kariuki on Monday asked worshippers to use their votes to protest the new laws come 2017.
The clergyman was reacting to new rules gazetted by the Communication Authority that has outlawed the practice of preachers asking for ‘seed’ money in television and radio stations to pray for salvation.
“Giving my offering is part of how I worship. You cannot dictate how I worship. I urge all Christians to use their voters card in 2017 to show their power against this government,” he said.
Bishop Kariuki rallied other church leaders not to shy away from seeking offering through various channels such as M-Pesa transactions.
He also criticized the new laws on religion by the Attorney General which asked televangelists not to proselytize their audience.
“Telling us not to call people to repentance is asking us to disobey the Bible. We are not here just to do theatrics but to change the lives of people,” he said amidst cheers from church leaders and worshippers.
Bishop Kariuki was addressing the media and evangelical church leaders from across the country at CITAM church Nairobi.