Kenya, May 27 -- In Kenya, there are many more churches than factories and schools. Some churches make millions of shillings every week, and it's time to treat them like businesses.

We need to bring order to religion in Kenya. Are our churches really helping people, or are they just trying to make money? It's not fair if taxes only apply to some people.

Unregistered churches and those that pressure or trick their followers should face legal action. No church is above the laws of Kenya, and they need to either follow the rules or get out. We must stop the unfair actions of religious groups.

Regulating religious organisations in Kenya is a good step forward. Keeping people safe is important, especially after tragedies like the Shakahola massacre, which showed the dangers of unchecked religious groups. Oversight can help prevent groups from turning into cults or causing harm.

In the report about the Shakahola tragedy, the need to regulate religious groups was highlighted. Many lives could have been saved if these organisations had been monitored.

Some groups are accused of exploiting their followers, lying to them, or doing dangerous things. Regulations can make sure they are open about their money and stop fraud.

If religious groups want to influence our laws and government, then they should also have to pay taxes, just like everyone else. The church is not above the law. Kenya is a secular country, which means that the government doesn't favour any one religion.

The Kenyan Constitution states that there is no official state religion. Article 8 makes this clear to prevent the government from supporting any specific faith. Therefore, regulating religious organisations is a step in the right direction.

We need to hold these groups accountable by making sure they register and follow ethical standards. This way, nobody can misuse religion to hide illegal activities.

While everyone has the freedom to worship, regulations help ensure that religious groups behave responsibly and ethically. We must protect citizens while respecting different beliefs.

Religious leaders who perform fake miracles and take money from people should face punishment. We need to stop exploiting people through fraud and false promises.

The church's involvement in politics has grown, but when it sides with the powerful instead of helping the public, it loses its credibility. We need transparency in religious organisations. Churches gather a lot of money from their members. Even Jesus paid taxes! There is a story in the Bible about Jesus telling Peter to find a coin in a fish's mouth to pay their taxes.

For many years, churches have told women how to dress and if they can divorce and have treated single mothers poorly. If they have rules, why are they against being regulated by the government? Do they have something to hide?

Since the church has not managed itself well, the government needs to step in. We've seen how some church leaders take advantage of vulnerable people just to get rich.

Clergy members often support the government, so now they need to be accountable to the people of Kenya. Politicians use the church to win over the public and often provide money to these organisations.

Isn't that a form of corruption? The church has benefited from this while building schools that many of their believers can't afford. Their hospitals don't provide affordable services either, so they should not operate without paying taxes.

We must stop those who take money in the name of God. We need to prevent selling false hope and practices like what happened in Shakahola. The church has not fulfilled its role and has become politically corrupt. For Kenya to reach its potential, we need rules to manage religious organisations.

It is important to bring back the religious organisation bill to parliament for discussion and approval.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.