Cape Town – The Atheist in Kenya Society (AIK) on Monday has denied reports that it is offering medical and funeral cover in a drive to register new members.
The Atheists In Kenya Society is an atheist organisation, registered under the Societies Act in Kenya. It is the first non-religious society to be registered in the country.
The society is now asking anyone who is “an atheist, agnostic, free thinker, humanist or sceptic” to register for membership on its website and pay a fee to qualify for the medical and funeral cover, according to news broadcaster BBC News Africa.
But the society took to social media platform Facebook to set the record straight on Monday saying: “We want to be clear. We are not providing medical cover to registered members of the AIK. We are not an insurance company. We will give members KShs 20,000/= to offset medical bills that could have been incurred when admitted to a hospital or something of that sort.”
However, the society has not been without controversy. In June 2021, Seth Mahiga, who served as secretary-general of the society for about two years, declared publicly he had left atheism and returned to Jesus Christ, and was no longer interested in promoting atheism, according to Kenyan online news publication, the Daily Nation.
In January 2021, the society embarked on an exercise seeking to expose places of worship causing discomfort to many Kenyans due to noise pollution. According to reports, AIK compiled a list of churches and mosques that have become a nuisance to public peace especially in residential areas.
In 2016, the Kenyan government initially denied registration for AIK to be legally recognised. After a two-year court battle, the society won its cases against the state.
ANA
