Focus on Shabaab, NGOs are innocent
What you need to know:
- Our motives were genuine but according to Fazul Mahamed, executive director of the NGOs Co-ordination Board, any engagement with the outlawed MRC is an illegal act. That is one of several reasons Muhuri is under the spotlight from the board.
- I noted a sense of glee in Fazul’s eyes as he told the cameras that Haki Africa would be hauled off to court for operating under another organisation’s registration.
- Anyone with a passing knowledge of the NGO world will tell you that the Independent Medico Legal Unit (IMLU) functioned for over a decade under the banner of the Bungoma Professionals Association when they were denied registration under the Moi regime.
I am more frequently found on the other side of the confessional box but now it’s my turn to humbly beat my breast.
Two years ago I attended a series of secret meetings with the Mombasa Republic Council (MRC). The gatherings were convened by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) for the purpose of dialoguing with the secessionist group.
Our motives were genuine but according to Fazul Mahamed, executive director of the NGOs Co-ordination Board, any engagement with the outlawed MRC is an illegal act. That is one of several reasons Muhuri is under the spotlight from the board.
Mr Mahamed also has grave reservations about the human rights body’s failure to notify him that Maina Kiai, Sarah Kinyanjui and I joined the board without being vetted by the Government oversight and management body. He says “the unprocedural change of officials points to a mischievous and calculated move to evade vetting of the officials.’’ No room for an administrative oversight error there. The board chief sees calculated mischief in our appointment and we should expect a thorough vetting before ever being approved.
Mr Mahamed also has issues with Muhuri opening bank accounts and employing foreigners — not me, I hope, since my services are all voluntarily — without his approval. Makes you wonder what is going on at the NGO body as those are allegations which Muhuri has to respond to within 14 days or legal action will follow.
HAULED OFF TO COURT
I noted a sense of glee in Fazul’s eyes as he told the cameras that Haki Africa would be hauled off to court for operating under another organisation’s registration. Anyone with a passing knowledge of the NGO world will tell you that the Independent Medico Legal Unit (IMLU) functioned for over a decade under the banner of the Bungoma Professionals Association when they were denied registration under the Moi regime.
The NGOs board is the latest government entity enlisted to investigate, intimidate and pre-occupy the two civil society organisations. Earlier it was the CID, NIS and the KRA, with the cooperation of junior magistrates. Of course it needs to be pointed out that Muhuri has not been deregistered.
The source of that hoax carried in the Nation seems to be a State House blogger who appears to have more influence and contacts than one would expect from a man who is just qualified for tweeting.
However, the whole episode does reveal the Executive’s preoccupation with clamping down on civil society rather than concentrating on fighting Al-Shabaab. That the focus for the intimidation is Muslim based organisations will only give further proof that the Muslim community as a whole has been profiled and is under suspicion.
Named politicians with an expansionist agenda together with funders of cattle rustling in the North Rift drift in and out of State House on a daily basis and mingle with high profile land grabbers and beneficiaries of grand corruption.
But the Muslim community has been found guilty until proven innocent and that is most manifest in the harassment of Muhuri and Haki Africa. It does not augur well for the nation’s cohesion nor does it make Kenya any safer.
[email protected] @GabrielDolan1
