Besides money laundering and the so-called washy-washy, the other business that appears to enrich fraudsters in Kenya quickly is opening a church. Taking advantage of successive constitutions that have offered unfettered freedom of worship, hundreds of unscrupulous individuals form religious outfits, particularly churches, through which they mint quick money while indoctrinating the masses.

For decades, individuals of dubious character have emerged in far-flung villages, professing themselves to be divine messengers as they spread false teachings that anathematise education and medical care and discourage the eating of certain foods. Many such preachers have the audacity to call themselves gods, messiahs, prophets, jehovah or apostles. They leave behind untold suffering among their gullible victims, some of whom end up losing property or paying the ultimate price with their lives.

But now, all this could end if the government walks the talk on the far-reaching recommendations made by the Rev Mutava Musyimi’s task force on reviewing the legal and regulatory framework for religious organisations. The team has presented to President Ruto a draft Religious Organisations Bill, 2024, which could alter the terrain for religious practice. If the bill is enacted and fully implemented, it would help rein in charlatans like Paul Mackenzie who use the same old tricks to take advantage of the hoi polloi.

Mackenzie tricked his followers into selling off their property and cutting ties with their families, careers and other social networks. He also forbade them from taking their children to school nor seeking medical care. By the time the government took action, hundreds of gullible followers had died or been killed and buried inside the expansive Shakahola forest.

That Mackenzie-like cults keep cropping up is an indictment of the government for its failure to address fundamental human needs and provide adequate social protections. High poverty creates a large pool of desperate people who are easily taken advantage of by unscrupulous people and groups like Mackenzie’s.

The government and Parliament must move quickly and formulate the recommended mechanisms that would regulate the spiritualist churches that often spring up under illiterate individuals who claim to have received a divine call to preach.