Kenya
Kenya court sentences priest convicted of abuse to preach on sexual crimes
By Fredrick Nzwili — April 5, 2024
NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — The sentence requiring a priest to preach monthly about the country’s sexual crimes law has ignited a debate about whether courts should be able to dictate the contents of a sermon.
After a boom in west Africa, LDS church finds increasing acceptance in the east
By Fredrick Nzwili — February 20, 2024
NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — Once shunned as cultic and anti-Christian, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has converted not only thousands of Africans, but has come to collaborate with Africa’s historic denominations, and even with Muslims.
Kenyan court rules pastor accused of starving his congregation is mentally fit for trial
By Fredrick Nzwili — February 6, 2024
NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — The taxi driver-turned-charismatic preacher faces multiple charges, including murder and terrorism, after being accused of convincing members of his church — some say ‘cult’ — to pray and fast until death, with the goal of meeting Jesus.
In Kenya, married ex-priests follow Vatican synod’s discussion of clerical celibacy
By Fredrick Nzwili — October 25, 2023
(RNS) — Former Catholic priests are hoping the prelates gathered for the Synod on Synodality at the Vatican will do away with the ban on marriage for clergy, allowing them to reunite with the church.
At African climate summit, faith leaders join demands for climate justice
By Fredrick Nzwili — September 6, 2023
NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — ‘Matters of climate change cannot be politicized, reduced to economies,’ said a Lutheran priest, but instead should be ‘treated as a matter of life and death.’
Kenya closes churches over ‘starvation massacre’ that has killed 427
By Fredrick Nzwili — August 21, 2023
NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — While deploring the mass starvation of members of Good News International Ministries in Malindi, officials of established churches are resisting calls for more regulation of religious groups.
After troubled decade, Kenya Methodists elect new presiding bishop
By Fredrick Nzwili — July 21, 2023
NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — Methodists in Kenya hope the new leader can breathe new life into the church following the bitter wrangles under former Presiding Bishop Joseph Ntombura's leadership.
Kenya doomsday cult deaths top 400 as detectives exhume 12 more bodies, with the pastor in custody
By Evelyne Musambi — July 20, 2023
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Some 613 people have so far been reported missing to Kenya Red Cross officers stationed in Malindi town. Detectives are still finding mass graves.
After a decade of sex abuse education in Africa, Freely in Hope pivots to American churches
By Fiona André — June 22, 2023
(RNS) — The organization’s shift to North America was prompted by numerous recent sexual abuse scandals in American churches.
Death toll from Kenya cult tied to pastor surpasses 300, with more exhumations planned
By Associated Press — June 14, 2023
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The death toll increased to 303 after 19 more bodies were recovered from mass graves.
Kenyan pastor suspected in cult deaths to remain jailed
By Evelyne Musambi — May 8, 2023
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The pastor faces possible terror-related charges in the deaths of more than 100 his congregants, many of whom are believed to have starved to death.
Whether or not a man convicted of abusing African ‘orphans’ is exonerated, the missionary system that brought him to Kenya was always deeply flawed
By Andreana Prichard — May 1, 2023
(The Conversation) — Rather than protecting some of the world’s most vulnerable children, many of Africa’s orphanages are exploiting them.
‘We cannot walk with you unless you repent,’ African archbishops tell Church of England
By Fredrick Nzwili — February 16, 2023
(RNS) — Leaders representing more than 35 million Anglicans said the English church’s decision to allow clergy to bless marriages and other unions of same-sex couples would further split the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Kenya’s deaf choir changes minds about ‘burdens’ of disabilities
By Fredrick Nzwili — January 31, 2023
NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — The choir’s example has helped convince Kenyan churches to embrace deaf culture.
Kenyan faith leaders fight to preserve ‘Sunday best’ at church
By Fredrick Nzwili — January 18, 2023
(RNS) — While some of the new debate over dress codes in church has to do with morality, one Catholic priest explained a more practical concern: ‘One needs to be properly dressed so that they are not a distraction to other worshippers who want to focus on their creator.’
Page 1 of 9
