Muslim leaders want Lamu curfew lifted

Muslim leaders at the Coast have asked the government to review the extended curfew in Lamu especially in areas which were not affected by the June/July attacks that saw more than 60 people killed.

The chairman of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (Supkem), Prof Abdulghafur El-Busaidy, described the extension of the dawn to dusk curfew by Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo as oppressive and discriminative.

“We are very disappointed by the extended curfew, this we consider as intimidation and suppression of the residents of Lamu County,” he told a news conference in Mombasa on Monday.

Accompanied by a group of Imam’s and businessmen from Lamu, the council threatened to move to court if the blanket time limit would not be reconsidered and lifted to allow residents to resume their normal lives.

Prof Abdulghafur claimed that what happened in the isle had happened elsewhere in the country.

OTHER INSTANCES

He cited Samburu where 40 security officers were killed and their firearms taken, but no curfew was declared, adding that if it was declared then it covered only the affected areas.

The Supkem leaders maintain that island was not affected by the attacks which happened in the mainland areas such as Mpeketoni, Hindi, Witu and Pandanguo.

The chairman said that it was in order for the government to impose a curfew in the affected areas, but it was discriminative and a violation of the Constitution to extend the same in the whole county.

“The curfew should have been imposed on the affected areas but not in the whole county, this violates the Constitution and should not be tolerated at all cost” Prof Abdulghafur told journalists at Mbaruk Mosque.

The Imam’s said that they would consult Mr Kimaiyo on the issue and if they fail to agree on relaxing the curfew, they would move to court “to seek justice.’’

“We as Supkem have been asking the people to be patient, but the government has let us down. So we are here making a public appeal to the government to lift the curfew and let the people go on with their lives” he said.

Supkem provincial chairman Muhdhar Khitamy said the thorny security issue in the island should not be mistaken and extended to discriminate against the residents.

Mr Khitamy said Lamu East and Lamu Island were further away from the affected areas and should have been exempted from the curfew.

He however maintained that dialogue must be initiated to seek solutions.

According to Supkem, Lamu residents have not been involved in any form of violence and if the government suspects anyone, it should take him or her to court .