Muslim, Catholic MPs differ over suspension of Bura High School students

What you need to know:

  • The matter threatened to escalate as the lawmakers took sides depending on their religious persuasions.
  • Kwale Woman Representative Zainab Chidzuga said it was shocking that a national school could breach the law by asking learners to subscribe to a particular religion.
  • The 37 students were reportedly suspended for failing to attend last Sunday's Mass.

Muslim and Catholic MPs have bitterly clashed over the suspension of students of Bura Girls High School in Taita-Taveta County, with each group giving a different view of the matter.

The issue threatened to escalate as the lawmakers took sides depending on their religious persuasions.

The Muslim MPs defended the 37 students while their Catholic counterparts shielded the school’s administration.

The lawmakers on Thursday called successive press conferences at Parliament to discuss the reasons for the actions taken by the school.

Eight Muslim MPs were the first to address the media and condemned the school for forcing the students to attend Catholic services though they belong to a different faith.

They said the school’s principal violated the Constitution by forcing the learners to subscribe to a faith they did not wish to belong to.

Kwale Woman Representative Zainab Chidzuga said it was shocking that a national school could breach the law by asking learners to subscribe to a particular religion.

“It is shocking that Muslim and SDA students can be sent away from school for failing to attend a church service. This amounts to violation of human rights, and freedom of worship enshrined in our Constitution.

"We want to know why the school took this action yet students are paid for by the government and should be treated equally. We will fight to the end to ensure all religions are respected in this country,” said Ms Chidzuga.

DOING SIMILAR ACTS
The MPs said they had been told about other schools that were taking similar actions, saying contradicted the push for national cohesion and coexistence among people of different faiths.

“Since the petition on Bura Girls came to Parliament we have received information on religious discrimination in other schools. The Bill of Rights is clear on religious rights. It is sad that at this age such things happen.

"We do not want to see hatred and divisions amongst students. The faith-based schools should be the ones teaching tolerance,” said Mvita MP Abdullswamad Nassir.

The 37 students were reportedly suspended for failing to attend last Sunday's Mass.

However, in a quick rejoinder, the Catholic MPs Association, through chairman Thomas Mwadeghu (Wundanyi MP) said the school had been wrongly attacked for performing its administrative duty.

'TOTALLY DIFFERENT PICTURE'

“I have discussed this issue with the principal of the school, the sponsors and the Catholic fathers and have been given a totally different picture of what happened. They said the students were suspended because of indiscipline and not because of religious intolerance,” said Mr Mwadeghu, also the National Assembly minority chief whip.

Mr Mwadeghu, who said he represented more than 30 Catholic MPs, defended the school principal, who has come under fire, saying no student was asked to take the Holy Eucharist.

“The allegation that students are being focused to take the Holy Eucharist is a fabrication by the students and total lies because as Catholics the Holy Eucharist is sacred and non-Catholics are not allowed to take it,” the MP said.

He urged all the students in the school to obey the school regulations and not expect to receive special treatment for belonging to a different faith as the majority of the learners.

“All schools have traditions and regulations and the students signed in their admission letters that they will abide by the school rules.

"I maintain that any student admitted in a Catholic school must abide by the school regulations and traditions,” the Wundanyi MP said.