Reports from Kenya these past weeks have drawn the attention of people to the immunity now unofficially bestowed on pastors.
With cultures deeply rooted in belief and superstition, it is not hard to reconcile the respect Africans hold for religion and the people perceived to be messengers of God. However, when this respect and reverence for men of the cloth crosses the line by allowing them get away with crimes, the world needs to be wary.
This past June, a flamboyant preacher, Bishop Thomas Wahome Njuguna of Helicopter Ministries knocked down a pedestrian while driving his Range Rover. The victim, Godfrey Mwaniki, died on the spot. A few days later, the police reported that the case had been terminated at the request of the victim’s family after Bishop Njuguna met with them. When the Bishop was questioned, he admitted to reaching an agreement with the family and paying the funeral costs. He also claimed that he was able to get away with the offence, which if found liable could result in a sentence of a maximum of ten years in prison, based on “evidence of his goodwill”.
Just a few weeks prior Bishop Njuguna’s accident, another preacher, Pastor James Ng’ang’a, of the Neno Evangelism Centre, killed Mercy Njeri in a car accident. However, despite several eyewitness, the police charged a different person with the crime.
The Nation Newspaper recently estimated that in Kenya, as of August 10, more than 1,700 people have been killed on the road with the drivers rarely punished especially if they can afford to bribe the police.
One can blame the non-prosecution of these men of God on corruption that infiltrates the Kenyan Police but on the other hand, it is evident that investigating heads of religious groups for reported offences is often futile.
The Kenyan religious community, like every other community, is rife with its share of scandal with accusations of fraud, deception, and sexual assault brought against its leaders regularly. For instance, Bishop Wahome has recently been in the news for expelling two members of his church who refused to pay money to inquire if their names were in the Book of Life. He has also been involved in court battles with an ex-wife. Pastor Ng’ang’a has been accused in the past of fraud and deception with the release of a video exposing his various crimes aired on national TV. The public outcry resulted in an investigation, which also yielded no result. Although it is hard to determine how extreme the religious climate in Kenya is, the number of Kenyan pastors being accused of fraud and a host of other crimes call for serious concern. Are religious Kenyan folk gullible, or just devout?
In Nigeria the religious scene suggests that just like Kenyans, Nigerians might be willing to forgive the actions of a man (or woman) of the cloth, depending on how famous and respected they are. The comments section of a news article which exposed an act of bribery by an influential preacher in Nigeria is proof of this.
The question that begs to be answered now is: why is this so in Africa? Is it out of fear and respect for the deity these people represent in obedience to the Holy Books, or an innate deification of their office?
While more pastors are being made to face the law, many more remain untouched and un-investigated, with loyal followers and faithful Christians chanting: “Touch not God’s anointed”. What does this mean for the average citizen? Do these “mouthpieces of the Almighty” deserve immunity even when they break the law?
