CISA holds a Workshop on Law Education and Interfaith Relations in Kenya

The workshop, aimed at critically examining the intersection of religion and state governance in Kenya from an interfaith perspective, focusing on legal regulations and education. The two-day workshop, attended by both Islamic and Christian leaders, as well as human rights activists and legal practitioners, was held at the HUC Arrupe-Amani Campus on Riara Road, Nairobi, on September 18th and 19th.

Speaking at the opening of the event, the Director of the HUC Center for Interface Studies in Africa, Rev. Dr. Norbert Litoing SJ, explained that CISA was established to create a space where scholarship, dialogue, and lived experience can meet, a space where people can think together about how faith and tradition contribute to justice, peace, and common good.  It was against that backdrop that the two-day workshop focused on two areas: law and education, which are not only technical aspects of state administration, but also on deep human realities that shape how humans live together in our diverse society.

The workshop analyzed how personal status law and its reforms shape interfaith relations and public debates in Kenya and also examined how educational policies regarding religious expression impact social identities, community relations, and national cohesion. The Keynote speaker for the day, Prof. Wandia Njoya, an associate professor at Daystar University and a human rights activist, challenged the conventional link between faith and identity, arguing that true faith transcends identity.

Drawing from the Gospels, Prof Njoya illustrated how Jesus focused on faith, love, mercy, and truth, rather than ethnicity, gender, or social status. Key biblical stories—including the Samaritan woman at the well, the Good Samaritan, and various healing miracles—demonstrated that faith, not identity, was central to Christ’s ministry.

She critiqued the colonial and post-colonial state’s role in reducing human beings to simplified identities for purposes of control—through taxation, labor, and obedience—rather than acknowledging their full humanity. She traced this logic back to the Roman Empire and its modern imitations, arguing that the state promotes anti-intellectualism and identity-based divisions to maintain dominance.

She emphasized that knowledge is central to faith. She lamented how Kenya’s education system, especially under the competency-based curriculum, sidelines critical thinking and historical awareness in favor of labor-market skills. The Church, she noted, often reinforces state-sanctioned moral policing instead of promoting deeper understanding and human dignity.

Ultimately, Prof. Njoya called for a new political and theological vision—one that embraces people in their fullness, promotes philosophy and critical knowledge, and reorients society toward the values of faith, spirit, and truth. Only through such a shift, she concluded, can we overcome the divisiveness of identity and reclaim a more humane, inclusive future.

Sheikh Farhan A. Mohamed, one of the panelists for the day, explored the complex and dynamic role of religion in Kenya’s constitutional, social, and legal framework. Noting that although Kenya is a secular state with no official religion, the constitution acknowledges the supremacy of God, and the population is overwhelmingly religious, with about 98% identifying with a faith. Religion is deeply ingrained in daily life, from public forums and family gatherings to national holidays and political campaigns.

Sheikh Farhan emphasized the balance Kenya must strike between religious freedom, state laws, and interfaith harmony. Although the constitution guarantees freedom of religion (Article 32), conflicts often arise—especially in matters of personal law (marriage, divorce, and inheritance). For example, recent Supreme Court decisions on the inheritance rights of children born out of wedlock have clashed with Islamic teachings, causing concern within the Muslim community.

The Sheikh highlighted the establishment of Kadhi courts, which cater to Muslims in matters of personal law, as evidence of Kenya’s legal accommodation of religious diversity. However, he also raised concerns about the proposed Religious Organizations Bill, which aims to regulate religious institutions in response to cultic abuses (e.g., Shakahola tragedy). While oversight is necessary, excessive regulation risks infringing on religious freedom.

He called for increased interfaith dialogue beyond elite circles to grassroots communities, noting that genuine coexistence occurs when ordinary congregants learn to engage with and respect one another. He cited examples of interfaith cooperation during national crises and in everyday life, like sharing food during religious festivals.

Concluding, Sheikh Farhan advocated for a model where the state acts as a neutral referee—ensuring order without imposing on religious beliefs. He acknowledged the tensions between civil and religious law, particularly in areas like interfaith marriage, but urged that mutual respect, dialogue, and clear policy frameworks are the path forward to preserving Kenya’s religious diversity and national unity.

Others who contributed to the discussion include Mr. Salim Abdallah from Harmony Institute and Mr. Fred Nyabera (Executive Director, Arigatou International), Bishop Naftali Gitonga from the National Council of Churches Kenya (NCCK), Ms. Lorraine Adhiambo from Rebuilding Community Organization, Ms. Njoki Maina from the University of Nairobi, and Dr. Adan J. Golele (Umma University, Kajiado).

CISA was established to create a space where scholarship, dialogue, and lived experience can intersect, a space where people can engage in thoughtful discussion about how faith and tradition contribute to justice, peace, and the common good.

By Pamela Adinda, HUC Communications Department Coordinator