Curfew relaxed for Ramadhan prayers
Lamu residents protest on July 20, 2014 over a curfew imposed in the area by Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo. Different views on the four-month curfew imposed by the government in Lamu should not divide its leaders, an MP has said. PHOTO | ATHMAN OMAR
What you need to know:
- Muslims across the world are marking the period with fasting and prayers that require them to be at the mosque beyond the times stipulated by Mr Kimaiyo.
- The curfew requires residents of the area to remain indoors between 6.30pm and 6.30am, from July 20 to August 20.
Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo on Monday relaxed the curfew order in Lamu County following complaints from Muslims.
“After consultations, arrangements have been made between Lamu County Security Committee, Political and Muslim leaders to ensure that Ramadhan timetable and prayers are not disrupted by the curfew,” he said in a statement signed jointly with National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale.
“As such, Muslim faithful will go on with the Holy Month prayers as per Ramadhan schedule. Otherwise, the curfew is in force as issued by the Inspector-General and Lamu residents are advised to observe the same.”
The statement, however, did not elaborate on how the curfew would be enforced if Muslim attendance at prayers would not be disrupted, and if it still applied equally to groups in Lamu.
The police chief issued the order on Saturday imposing a dusk to dawn curfew after a series of gun attacks that left dozens of people dead over the last month.
It requires residents of the area to remain indoors between 6.30pm and 6.30am, from July 20 to August 20. (EDITORIAL: The Lamu curfew is sensible)
Mr Duale immediately contested the order and asked Muslims in Lamu to defy the curfew. There were also demonstrations in the county organised by political and religious leaders.
The revised order just a day after Mr Duale told Muslims to disregard the police notice and the civil society gave the government 48 hours to rescind the decision.
Mr Duale further threatened legal redress in the event Mr Kimaiyo declined to back down.
BEYOND CURFEW TIMES
Muslims across the world are marking the period with fasting and prayers that require them to be at the mosque beyond the times stipulated by Mr Kimaiyo.
“The last 10 days of Ramadhan are very special days in the life of every Muslim; they are the most blessed days in the blessed month of Ramadhan, because it’s in the Holy Month that the Quran was revealed,” Mr Duale said in an earlier statement.
County Commissioner Miiri Njenga called a special County Security Committee to address the religious issues.
The curfew was opposed by Muslims for Human Rights (Muhuri) official Khelef Khalifa and Haki Africa executive director Hussein Khalid. They termed it an affront to Muslims’ freedom of movement and worship.
Lamu West MP Shariff Athman had also asked the government to respect the Constitution and Muslims’ right of worship.
The Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya also opposed the curfew. Speaking at a news conference at their Mombasa office before the order was relaxed, organising secretary Sheikh Mohamed Khalifa, secretary-general Sheikh Muhamad Dor, treasurer Sheikh Hassan Suleiman and national coordinator Sheikh Fowzy Twaha asked Mr Kimaiyo to lift the curfew promptly.
They said it would interfere with their night prayers.
