TAITA-TAVETA, JULY 03 2015 (CISA) – Hon Thomas Mwadeghu, Chairman of the Catholic Members of Parliament Association has defended Bura Girls High School against allegations of imposing Catholic faith on non- Catholic students.
“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 Member of Parliament said.
37 students of Bura Girls High School were this week suspended for failing to attend last Sunday’s Mass as dictated in the school rules.
Catholic and Muslim parliamentarians have since disagreed over the suspension of the students with each group taking sides depending on their religious persuasions, reported the Daily Nation on July 2.
Catholic MPs defended the school’s administration while Muslim MPs took the side of the 37 students of the girls’ school located in Taita-Taveta County in the Archdiocese of Mombasa.
Mwadeghu refuted the allegations that non-Catholic students were forced to take the Holy Eucharist.
“The allegation that students are being forced 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.
“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 urged all the students in the school to obey the school regulations and not expect to receive special treatment.
