Tana River senator Danson Mungatana has withdrawn the contentious Religious Organisations Bill that sought to regulate churches and their operations in Kenya.

Following pressure from religious leaders, the legislator has formally written to the Speaker of the Senate seeking the deletion of the Bill in its entirety.

The proposed legislation had already undergone its first reading.

Speaking during a joint presser with church leaders from several umbrella bodies, Mungatana said the withdrawal followed wide consultations with several individuals and religious organisations.

 “Following these consultations since the Bill passed through the first reading at the Senate, it was agreed that I withdraw the Bill to allow for further consensus-building,” he said.

Mungatana also emphasised that the withdrawal of the Bill will neither interfere with nor affect the case where Pastor Paul Mackenzie is accused of causing the death of approximately 400 of his followers.

After the first reading in September, churches and religious organisations had initially sought the intervention of civil and constitutional courts terming the Bill unprocedural and unconstitutional. The matter is still pending.

“The withdrawal of the Bill paves the way for further discussions to determine the appropriate course of action for the remaining legal challenges and related concerns,” read a statement by the church leaders.

Following the withdrawal, the church leaders said that they have established a self-regulation taskforce aimed at strengthening governance and accountability while protecting the freedom of worship.

According to Bishop Harrison Ng’ang’a, the taskforce will consider and cater to all churches in Kenya and curb manipulative and criminal religious activities.

 “This move will ensure that cases of fraud and amongst pastors and injustices like the Shakahola killings are prevented,” stated Bishop Ng’ang’a.

The Religious Organisations Bill 2024, which was sponsored by Mungatana, had proposed a framework to guide how religious institutions operate in the country. It had imposed strict measures for church registration and harsh penalties for rogue operators. Rogue operators were subject to a Sh5 million fine or a five-year jail term.