Public Service Cabinet Secretary Margaret Kobia has criticised clerics who claim that they can pray for women to get husbands and money.
She said most of the false prophets, who also claim that they can heal some diseases, were taking advantage of the poor.
Speaking at Kinoru Stadium where she distributed Youth and Women Enterprise Funds cheques on Saturday, Prof Kobia said it was sad that most women were losing their dignity and a lot of money to false prophets.
She said such priests had caused trauma and suffering to many women.
The CS said financial empowerment will help women emancipate themselves from the clergymen who preyed on the poor, especially single women.
“There are is a crop of priests who exploit women after lying to them that they have powers to heal, make them get husbands or money.
“We are telling women is to seek financial empowerment to enable them take their children to good schools or readily seek medical attention should they fall sick,” she said.
She added: “When you have money, you have a voice and no one can push you around,” she said. She urged the public to report such false prophets.
“Our prayers go directly to God. Such kind of exploitation should be included as a form of gender based violence. Many women who face various forms of abuse are those who do not have the financial muscle,” said Prof Kobia.
The CS urged the public to stop relying on handouts from politicians saying this discourages the working culture.
She said that her department was keen on uplifting the welfare of youth, women and the disabled.
“President Uhuru Kenyatta is a champion of youth and women empowerment and that is why we want to see that money gets to the grassroots,” said Prof Kobia.
Meru Deputy Governor Titus Ntuchiu said they were getting pressure from youth who were seeking white collar jobs.
He urged the youth to pursue vocational courses through the Meru Youth Service (MYS). “We don’t have jobs for now but we are training them through MYS,” he said.
Imenti North MP Rahim Dawood and Mr Ntuchiu said their offices were ready to help various groups access business proposals at no cost.
“We shall make it very easy for those who access these loans to get business licences,” said Mr Ntuchiu.
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