Drama as ‘Hebrew-speaking’ church members flee from census enumerators
Drama unfolded at Gatamaiyu village in Naivasha on Monday when two “Hebrew-speaking” sect members declined to take part in the ongoing census exercise citing religious beliefs.
They fled to the bushes after the enumerators insisted on taking their data but police accompanying the officials made a chase and arrested the couple.
Before the two decided to bolt away, they had engaged the officials in a tirade, outlining why they were refusing to be enumerated.
“They insisted it was against their faith to be counted and our efforts to convince them (otherwise) fell on deaf ears,” said the Gatamaiyu assistant chief Robert Macharia.
GIBBERISH
The couple, dressed in flowing white robes, continued speaking in gibberish as the mesmerized census officials continued engaging them.
They were later escorted to the Naivasha police station and locked up. But efforts to serve them meals while behind bars also turned futile.
“The flatly refused to partake the served food again saying they can only eat a meal prepared by one of them,” said a senior police officer.
The two, police said, will be arraigned for refusing to take part in the exercise. They face a Sh500,000 fine or one year in jail, or both.