Mombasa Muslim women accuse Kadhi court officials of sexual harassment

Muslim women have accused officials at the Kadhis' courts in Mombasa of sexually harassing them when they seek help on gender violence and divorce.

The women made the claims when they spoke to Public Service Youth and Gender Affairs Principal Secretary Zeinab Hussein during a business meeting and training in the town.

Ruksana Nooroli, the chairperson of the community-based Okoa Mama na Mtoto, said she had received several reports of sexual harassment and unsolved gender violence cases during her interactions with women.

“So many women have reported to me that some Kadhis ask them for sexual favours whenever they ask for help and if they fail to give in to the demands they are left on their own,’’ she said.

Ms Nooroli added that some Kadhis also favour men in their ruling on divorce cases.

She said the women are threatened by perpetrators when they report such matters to other agencies and appealed to Ms Hussein to intervene on their behalf by speaking to Muslim clerics.

Speaking to the Nation, Chief Kadhi Sheikh Ahmed Muhdhar urged women who have been sexually harassed to file formal complaints so that the issues can be addressed.

'SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS'

“Those are serious allegations and we would not want them to go just pass verbally. Let the women come to our offices and file their complaints because harassment is an offence,” said Sheikh Muhdhar.

He said appropriate action would be taken once complaints have been filed.

“The Kadhis' court is a system with officers,” he added.

Ms Hussein promised to organise a meeting with Muslim clerics and Muslim women in the next two weeks to find a solution sexual violence in the county.

She added that the ministry has launched a comprehensive programme to deal with gender-based violence, adding that perpetrators would be punished.

She said to further protect sexual violence victims, the government would establish 20 recovery centres in counties that are notorious for such cases and 20 safe houses where survivors can live after leaving the centres.

Further, she added, the capacity of police and prosecutors would be strengthened.

Additional reporting by Ahmed Mohamed