Protect faithfuls from fake pastors and evil teachings

Some of the faithfuls rescued by police after they were told by their pastor to starve to death in Malindi. [Marion Kithi, Standard]

Pastor Paul Mackenzie Nthenge is a danger to himself and his followers. Indeed, he and his ilk must be stopped at all costs.

While Section 32 of 2010 Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of conscience, religion, thought, belief and opinion, this cannot override the right to life enshrined in section 26.

This is why Pastor Nthenge's activities cannot be allowed to continue.

On Thursday, 15 people from Good News International church in Kilifi County were found while 'fasting to meet Jesus Christ and avoid a painful death' as they had been warned.

When the police raided the church, they rescued 11 other people, including two minors, but the four died on the way to hospital.

The self-styled preacher had earlier been arrested following the death of two boys in his church, but was released on a Sh10,000 cash bail pending investigations. Reports indicate the boys had starved to death. This is unacceptable.

To make it more bizarre, the police found what looked like a shallow grave in the compound, but some residents became hostile and stopped the officers from unearthing it. This only demonstrates the level of indoctrination the pastor has done to his followers.

While religion is a personal matter, the society must always be conscious of shrewd individuals out to take advantage of desperate or poor people.

Some sweet-talking so-called men and women of cloth, have routinely defrauded Kenyans of their money and other resources.

They constantly preach about giving to God and pretend to spend the money on philanthropy but the truth is they unashamedly fatten their bank accounts and lead flashy lifestyles. While there is a thin line between doing good for the society and enriching oneself, the rogue pastors must be called out now.

Further, when they are found guilty of lying to their followers to kill themselves or starve to death, they must be made to face the law. They must be prosecuted and punished immediately.

For instance, in the Kilifi case, the pastor should not have been freed on bail. This is because the should have been alive to the fact that he would continue brainwashing his followers and easily interfere with investigations.

On the same stroke, Kenyans must not entertain preachers calling themselves the Messiah. The Bible and the Quran are very clear on their teachings. But some preachers take advantage of limited knowledge of the holy scriptures to sway their followers.

The fake clerics benefit from their followers' ignorance even as some lead them to extreme practices. The society must be wary of such and report immediately when they notice something untoward in these places of worship.

Indeed, in many instances, terrorists hide under religion to recruit young and impressionable minds into their heinous acts. It's time to be more vigilant.