Team formed to iron out mosques row

What you need to know:

  • “The taskforce will outline the issues that the committee will tackle. The government must open the mosques immediately,” Mr Khalid said.
  • Meanwhile, Mr Khalid urged workers’ unions not to recall their members because of the insecurity rocking parts of the country.

The county government and a lobby group will form a nine-man taskforce that would pick a committee to run four controversial mosques in Mombasa.

The taskforce will comprise two politicians, a sheikh and an imam, two civil societies representatives as well as three youths.

Once formed, the committee selected by the taskforce would oversee the running of Masjid Musa, Swafaa, Minaa and Sakina mosques.

Haki Africa Executive Director Hussein Khalid told the Nation by phone Wednesday that a meeting chaired by Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho resolved to use dialogue between youths and leaders to find solutions for radicalisation.

He, however, told the government to respect places of worship while calling for calm and restraint.

“The government says mosques are not closed yet when worshippers go there they are arrested. The government is not being honest.

“Mosques should be opened unconditionally while we engage with the youths. We want to talk and find solutions,” Mr Khalid said.

AFFECTED MOSQUES

“The taskforce will outline the issues that the committee will tackle. The government must open the mosques immediately,” Mr Khalid said.

He said that youths from the affected mosques would appoint their three representatives to present their grievances.

At a meeting chaired by Mr Joho that involved over 120 leaders including politicians, youths, women, religious leaders, civil society and State agencies at Royal Castle Hotel in Mombasa on Sunday, participants unanimously agreed that all the people arrested after the police raid on mosques be released after screening.

Meanwhile, Mr Khalid urged workers’ unions not to recall their members because of the insecurity rocking parts of the country.

“It is unfortunate that unions are recalling the professionals, especially healthcare workers and teachers working in Mandera and North Eastern,” Mr Khalid said.