PS Omollo calls for church standards amid religious extremism
By Aloys Michael, August 31, 2025Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration, Raymond Omollo, has called for the establishment of clear minimum standards to regulate religious organisations in Kenya, warning that extremist teachings continue to pose a serious threat to national security and public well-being.
Speaking in an interview with an international media house on Sunday, August 31, 2025, Omollo reflected on the devastating Shakahola Forest tragedy in Kilifi County, where hundreds of followers of the Good News International Ministries cult died after being coerced into fasting to death under extremist religious instructions.
“Not everyone claiming to be a religious leader is legitimate. There is an urgent need for minimum standards that regulate religious organisations,” Omollo warned.
The PS described the Shakahola incident as a dark blot in Kenya’s history and a hard lesson for the country’s security sector.
“When you think about the Shakahola tragedy, innocent Kenyans who were expected to just be practising their faith were able to get into the space where we ended up losing so many lives on account of belief or on account of doctrine,” he said.
The tragedy, which shocked the nation and drew international condemnation, revealed major gaps in how faith-based institutions are monitored and held accountable. Omollo emphasised that the state must tread carefully to avoid infringing on religious freedom, but insisted that basic safeguards are non-negotiable.
“There has to be some level of self-regulation, some level of internal governance and structure within religious institutions,” he added.
“We are working on a religious bill to at least be able to have certain parameters in terms of if it is a religious organisation, does it have a constitution, who are the leaders, and what kind of qualifications do they have?”
His comments echo growing calls from civil society, lawmakers, and faith leaders for stronger oversight of religious groups. While current laws, such as the Societies Act, provide basic registration frameworks.
Critics argue that they fall short in preventing exploitation, abuse, and indoctrination.
Some have proposed the formation of interfaith regulatory councils, while others support more robust legal frameworks, including mental health evaluations for spiritual leaders and public education on safe religious practices.
The government has since launched a Commission of Inquiry into the Shakahola deaths and a Taskforce on the Legal and Regulatory Framework Governing Religious Organisations, both tasked with crafting policy recommendations to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
According to Omollo, any policy intervention must strike a delicate balance between protecting freedom of worship and defending the public against harmful religious extremism.
“We are not saying the state wants to dictate doctrine or belief. But when faith leads to loss of life, we must ask difficult questions and act decisively,” he clarified.