A section of residents in Malindi, Kilifi County have declined to be enumerated in the ongoing nation-wide census exercise.
The residents, also followers of the embattled Good News International Ministries, are claiming that the ongoing census enumeration exercise is against their religious faith.
However, it has been noted that the leader of the church Pastor Paul Makenzi, has already been enumerated, a move that has left census officials wondering why the followers are refusing to take part in the nation-wide exercise.
Addressing the press in his office on Thursday, Malindi Deputy County Commissioner Karung’o Kamau said that legal action will be taken against the sect members who will refuse to participate.
Kamau cautioned the sect members against turning away enumerators, saying that they will be dealt with per the law.
He added, “it is ironical that their leader Pastor Makenzi, whose teachings they claim to be following, have already been enumerated.”
Pastor Makenzi has been controversially taking the government head-on in several critical policy matters, including education and the recently concluded National Integrated Identity Management System (NIIMS) commonly referred to as Huduma Namba.
Some of his teachings are against education which has seen him arrested on several occasions and taken to court. The sect group has been claiming that education is a secular affair; hence, it is not God’s plan.
However, Kamau said that his team will not hunt down the Makenzi for he has already complied; instead, the sect members of his church will be dealt with individually.
Meanwhile, Kamau expressed optimism on the enumeration exercise, insisting that all households will be reached by Saturday before the exercise is concluded.
He added, “at least 65 per cent of the households have already been reached, and we believe the remaining 35 per cent will be reached within the three remaining days.”
On reports that census officials in Kilifi County are facing frustrations on allowances, the Deputy County Commissioner reiterated that the government will pay their allowances, and urged them to continue with the exercise without fear.
“This is a government exercise, and there is no way the government will fail to pay the officers participating in the exercise."
He was reacting to reports that enumerators in Kilifi North had downed their tools for allegedly not receiving their allowances.
#hivisasaoriginal #Upekuzi