Church demands Mutula recants his comment on dressing of nuns

The Catholic Church wants Education minister Mutula Kilonzo to retract what it says is a derogatory statement over nuns’ dressing.

Backing calls by students of Rwathia Girls Secondary School for shorter skirts, Mr Kilonzo said on Thursday “girls in secondary schools should dress to look modern and not look like nuns.”

The minister’s statement dominated discussions on the social media, radio and television stations on Friday.

Opinion was divided on whether schoolgirls should be allowed to wear skirts that fall above the knee. “We need an urgent explanation from the minister for such a derogatory reference to nuns,” said Bishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba, who is in charge of Nakuru diocese.

The Rt Rev Makumba, who is also the chairman of the Commission for Education and Religious Education in Kenya, said the statement was in bad taste.

He said the minister’s sentiments clearly indicated that his sensitivity to religious people, particularly nuns, had been badly eroded.

Women of substance

“The Catholic Church takes great exception to the reference made to the dressing of nuns and this is most unfortunate as it comes from a person we hold in very high regard,” said Bishop Makumba in a statement at his office in Nakuru Town on Friday.

He said Catholic nuns had made a tremendous contribution to education in Kenya.

“Schools managed by nuns are among the best in the country and have produced women of substance in different sectors,” said Bishop Makumba.

He said students at Rwathia Girls in Murang’a County only asked for “shorter, more comfortable skirts” and not modern ones.

The bishop said the Catholic Church did not oppose modern and comfortable dressing, adding: “Valid calls should not be used to compromise decency and acceptability by the community and stakeholders”.

Bishop Makumba said schools and other educational institutions were formative centres and thus dressing, language, relationships and discipline were key to the development of the child.

“The purpose of the school uniform is to unify, create cohesion and build a sense of belonging and identity which are crucial in the formative years of a child,” he said.

Sexually attracted

The Church appealed to prominent people to be particularly prudent on such matters when making public declarations.

Bishop Geoffrey Buliba of Christian Brotherhood Church in Nakuru said the Education minister was wrong to make such a statement.

“This kind of statement will result in male teachers becoming sexually attracted to the girls they teach and encourage promiscuity in our schools,” said Bishop Buliba.

He said as a parent, Mr Kilonzo should not have issued such a statement.

“It was regrettable and shocking and he should retract it to avoid causing tension in schools,” he said.