Kenya: Arsonists burn five church buildings

(Worthy News) – Unidentified arsonists in western Kenya burned five church buildings and threw feces at their smoldering ruins last month, Morning Star News reports. All of the crimes were carried out from January 20 to January 24 in Otamba village, in the Nyaraibari Chache area of Kisii County.

St. Monica Church’s building was burned on January 20, Morning Star News reports. On January 21, arsonists burned the Seventh-day Adventist Worldwide Church buildings and the Legio Maria building. Then, on January 24, arsonists burned the building of a 250-member Pentecostal Church, Morning Star News reports. Daniel Ratemo, chairman of the Pentecostal Church has reportedly asked for financial support and prayers.

Speaking to Morning Star News about the spate of attacks, a local source said: “Apart from setting the churches ablaze, the arsonists also committed the heinous acts of scooping human feces onto the buildings to discourage the faithful from attending their ruined churches.” Damage valued at millions of Kenyan shillings has been done to the buildings and furniture, the source added.

In a press statement, the Church and Clergy Association of Kenya asserted: “We demand the investigating authorities to get to the bottom of the matter and expose the agents of such heinous acts.”

Kenya ranks 49 on the Open Doors’ 2021 World Watch List of countries where it is hardest to live as a Christian, Morning Star News reports.

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