Police set tough terms for Coast religious rallies

Religious leaders will be required to alert police before holding any crusade at the Coast in a fresh bid to check rising cases of insecurity.

Coast Provincial Criminal Investigation Officer Ambrose Munyasia said police will also be sent to such rallies to beef up security in the wake of grenade attacks on religious rallies.

“Religious gatherings in open places should be licensed just like any other activity held in such places and we have taken further steps to ensure they are secured,” Mr Munyasia told the Nation on Monday in a phone interview.

He cautioned preachers against making inflammatory statements that could trigger religious animosity during their rallies.

Coast deputy police boss Jacinta Kinyua urged the clergy to be vigilant and report suspicious people.

Religious leaders welcomed the move, saying, it was long overdue. Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims Coast branch chairman Sheikh Muhdhar pledged to work with the officers and challenged the government to speed up police reforms.

“We shall not have proper security in the country if there are no serious police reforms and availability of necessary facilities needed by our security men and women in their daily work,” Sheikh Muhdhar said.

Bishop Francis Luyesi of the Kisima cha Nema cha Mwana Daudi welcomed the move saying:

“Even the books of God direct us to closely work with government on issues of national importance and we will support security officers who will be at our meetings to ensure Kenyans are safe.”

Mombasa Town, and its environs, has in the past two months been rocked by blasts linked to terrorism.

Three people were killed and more than 34 others seriously wounded in grenade attacks on church rallies in the town and Mtwapa.

In the first incident, a young woman was killed and 30 people injured after suspected militants hurled a grenade at a crusade in Mtwapa on March 31.

The blast coincided with another at Stadium View restaurant in Tononoka where a policeman was injured.

Mid last month, a security guard was killed and four other people injured in a grenade attack on Bella Vista restaurant in Mombasa Town.

One of the injured was suspected to be working with Somali militants and is recuperating under tight security at the Coast General Hospital, Mombasa.

Last Saturday, an unknown person threw a petrol bomb at a fuel station in the town centre. Nobody was injured in the morning incident and the matter is under investigation.

On Monday, Kisauni police boss Julius Wanjohi called for more vigilance.

“At the moment, vehicle inspections only look out for bombs, but that is not enough and has to be complemented by body screenings,” he said.

Kisauni DC Tom Anjere said a police post will be opened at Mwakirunge to monitor the flying zone leading to the Moi International Airport, while another was set for the Jomo Kenyatta public beach.

“As part of our security upgrade plan, we are taking patrols more seriously and moving the responsibility of conducting the regular checks from sergeants to inspectors and more senior officers for supervision,” Mr Anjere said and asked residents to cooperate with police.

“Let all Kenyans take security as a personal responsibility and report any suspicious elements to the nearest security personnel. We are calling on members of the public to use suggestion boxes in all administrative units and our telephone numbers to hint on any matter they feel important,” Mr Anjere said.

He asked hotels and lodges to keep proper records of visitors as a major step in tracking suspicious individuals.