The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has been ordered to pay a former serviceman Ksh 8 million after the Court of Appeal found that his constitutional right to freedom of worship had been violated.
Polycarp Miyogo, a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) serviceman and a member of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church, had for 10 years been allowed to observe his Sabbath on Saturdays without any issues.
However, in 2012, his supervisor denied him permission to attend church, despite Miyogo offering to work a half-day or have another officer cover his shift.
When he still went to church to observe the Sabbath, KDF court-martialed him, jailed him for 42 days, and later discharged him from service on the grounds that his services were “no longer required.”
In its ruling, the Court of Appeal held that serving in the military does not take away a person’s constitutional right to freedom of religion and worship.
The court awarded Miyogo Ksh 8 million in compensation for the violation of his rights, marking a significant victory for religious freedom in Kenya.
