Connect with us

General News

Kenya: 3 Pastors Fighting Ban Over Coronavirus Get Court Date

Published

5 years ago

on

[ad_1]

The High Court has certified as urgent a case in which three pastors want the ban on congregating lifted with measures put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Justice James Makau issued the directive on Friday after Pastors Don Mutugi Majau, Joan Miriti and Alex Gichunge sued the Interior, Health and ICT Cabinet Secretaries, the Attorney-General together and the Inspector-General of Police.

Justice Makau set the hearing for April 16 and ordered the pastors to give copies of the case documents to the sued parties before close of business on April 14.

ARGUMENTS

In the suit, the pastors acknowledge measures put in place by the government to stop the spread but argue that as the pandemic worsens, Kenyans will look to churches for solace.

They are protesting the directive against social gatherings that saw closure of churches, saying it was reached without consultations with relevant stakeholders.

They also say the State imposed the curfew and the restriction on gatherings without consulting the church.

Had consultations taken place, the petitioners say, the public would have been sufficiently educated on social distancing and proper hygiene, peace and unity would have been promoted and food drives would have been held for the sake of the less fortunate.

“The petitioners [and] other believers are in no way approaching this court in efforts to spread the coronavirus. Their sole wish is to congregate whilst adhering to the directive issued,” said their lawyer John Swaka.