Religious leaders condemn attack

Bishop Wilfred Lai of Jesus Celebration Center together with other christian clerics condemning the terrorist attack on Joys in Christ church in Likoni that saw four people die in in this picture taken on 23 March 2014 at Coast General Hospital in Mombasa. PHOTO/LABAN WALLOGA

What you need to know:

  • Bishop Lai asked the government to fast-track the Nyumba Kumi initiative to ensure criminals do not hide among peace-loving Kenyans.
  • Supkem Coast branch chairman Sheikh Muhdhar Khitamy and Kemnac national chairman Sheikh Juma Ngao said there is no religion that supports the killing of innocent people in places of worship.
    They called on Kenyans to desist from pointing fingers at each other.

Christian and Muslim leaders Sunday condemned the attack on Joy Jesus Church in Likoni where four worshippers were killed and 21 others seriously injured.

Addressing separate press conferences, the religious leaders described the incident as a heinous act and asked security agencies to ensure the culprits are brought to book.

They urged Kenyans to remain calm and give security officers time to investigate the attack, which also claimed the life of the church’s assistant pastor.

The Mombasa County Church Forum chairman, Bishop Wilfred Lai, said Christians will not be cowed by terrorists.

“We want security to be enhanced at churches, which seem to be the main target. This act will not deter us from worshipping. Let us fight spiritually,” he said.

The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (Supkem) and the Kenya National Muslim Advisory Council (Kemnac) urged Kenyans to put aside their religious differences and support security agencies in the war on terror.

Supkem

Supkem Coast branch chairman Sheikh Muhdhar Khitamy and Kemnac national chairman Sheikh Juma Ngao said there is no religion that supports the killing of innocent people in places of worship.
They called on Kenyans to desist from pointing fingers at each other.

“We are saddened by the killing of innocent Christian worshippers inside a church in Likoni. Such an incident has no place in Islam,” they added.

Sheikh Ngao and Sheikh Khitamy asked the public to be vigilant and embrace the Nyumba Kumi initiative in order to weed out criminals living among them.

Bishop Lai asked the government to fast-track the Nyumba Kumi initiative to ensure criminals do not hide among peace-loving Kenyans.

Haki Africa executive director Hussein Khalid said: “The incident is painful to all people who value life.

At the same time, Mombasa politicians condemned the attack.

Mvita MP Abdullswamad Nassir, who visited the church and the victims at the Coast General Hospital, termed the attack “inhumane and barbaric”.

He said there is need to boost security at worship centres to avoid such incidents in the future.

“There is need to fit our worship centres with CCTV cameras due to the escalating number of attacks that are claiming the lives of innocent people,” he said, urging the police to make sure those behind the attack were apprehended.

Kongowea ward rep Jabess Oduor asked political and religious leaders in the county to come out boldly and fight radicalisation in the region.

County Speaker Thadious Rajwai also visited the victims and condemned the attack.