Five Church Organizations Banned by Kenya

The Kenyan government Friday banned five church organizations from operating in the country, a move that follows closely the deportation of North American missionaries.

The existence of the organizations was dubbed “contrary to the interests of peace” in the government gazette, which announced they would not be registered to operate in Kenya effective Nov. 16.

The churches include the Assn. of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Evangelist Gospel Church of Holy Morning Star, Kigongonagia Kenya Church, East African Israel Church and the African Israel Church.

Robert Hart of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in Nairobi said the ban came as a surprise and the church had “no warnings, questions or a fair hearing regarding anything considered undesirable.”

The Jehovah’s Witnesses will be fighting the ban with legal action “in defense of peaceful exercise of the freedom of worship,” he said, adding the group found the ban “incredible” because it was not linked with “any organization involved in political unrest, violence or destabilizing factors.”

On Wednesday, one Canadian and eight U.S. missionaries, some of whom have been working for 12 years in Kenya, were given a week to leave the country. Seven missionaries named in the letter also were deported last week.

The latest group to be deported was given no reason but said they believe the action is linked to a bogus letter that appeared in the Kenyan press earlier in the week, alleging a link between the first group of missionaries and a plot to topple the Kenyan government.