Cults: Digging a hole to fill another

Opposition leader Raila Odinga loves using football analogies on the electoral campaign platform. The ‘live commentaries’ he employs always feature him as the striker who receives the final pass and converts the winning goal with aplomb.

But then, he also has a tendency to own goals—as shown at the weekend with his show of support for controversial Kilifi televangelist Ezekiel Odero.

Pastor Odero had just been released on bond from police custody as investigations continue into suspected links to another Kilifi preacher, Pastor Paul Mackenzie, whose doomsday cult is held responsible for more than 110 deaths of adherents who reportedly obeyed instructions to fast to death.

One of the most macabre incidents from the growing number of churches preaching extremist doctrines has sent a cold chill across the entire nation. Mackenzie, ‘owner’ of the Good News International Church, is likely to face several murder charges with Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki and Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji hinting at his being arraigned on offenses related to terrorism and genocide.

The collective horror emanating from Shakahola Forest ensures that, right now, everybody would be advised to steer well clear well of anyone even remotely associated with the dastardly deeds.

Then Mr Odinga goes ahead and publicly associates with—and offers support and comfort for—a person under active investigation in regard to what has been officially described as a massacre.

Now, this is not to say that Pastor Ezekiel is guilty of anything. Like anybody else facing the long arm of the law, he is regarded innocent until proven guilty and, unless legally restrained, cannot be denied his freedom of association.

However, those in positions of authority have to be very careful in their associations. It is often said that one is judged by the company he keeps. That alone should have dissuaded Mr Odinga from visiting Pastor Odero at a time he was still a person of interest as investigations continue into some of the most horrifying crimes ever witnessed in Kenya.

That visit was reckless and insensitive. It toppled Mr Odinga from the moral pedestal he was trying to occupy on the Shakahola tragedy.

In the days before his visit to Pastor Odero, Mr Odinga was going full throttle blaming State House—specifically President William Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, as well as their respective Holy Roller spouses—for the growth of Christian extremism in Kenya.

Exploits desperation

He directly blamed the Shakahola deaths on State House patronage of an extremist lunatic fringe within the evangelical movement exemplified by the money-hungry purveyors of the prosperity gospel as well the fake faith-healing that exploits desperation of gullible and vulnerable.

Mr Odinga was still on that narrative when he put on his display of support for Pastor Odero. No wonder the State House propaganda machine was beside itself with glee. Suddenly, it was Mr Odinga being projected as the associate of dodgy evangelists best known for faked miracle healing, cultish organisations and unexplained wealth.

Mr Odinga paying homage to Pastor Odero, together with his attempt to access the Shakahola killing fields that was blocked by police, had the effect of adding a political element to a national tragedy. In the process, discussion of the full import of how the government was addressing the issue was relegated to the back burner.

It was the government bureaucrats of our British colonial masters who perfected the art of appointing enquiries, task forces, commissions and all other manner of committees any time they did not want to act on something urgent. That, universally, is the bureaucracy’s preferred method of buying time and diverting attention.

In the wake of Shakahola, President Ruto appointed not one but two separate probes. A commission of inquiry led by Justice Jessie Lesiit will look into the circumstances behind the deaths and also the attendant institutional, security and administrative lapses. A task force chaired by Rev Mutava Musyimi will also probe the tragedy with a view to restarting abandoned efforts at regulating religious institutions.

The two teams will work concurrently. And even though their mandates differ, there will be overlaps as each must first establish what happened at Shakahola to inform its conclusions and recommendations. The police and prosecutors will, presumably, continue with their work.

I am reminded of a bizarre occurrence from the Goldenberg scandal probes of the Moi era. Parliament was asked to cease hearings on the matter because it was before the courts. The courts were asked to halt proceedings because the matters were before Parliament!

[email protected]. @MachariaGaitho