Ghost town as Muslims shun mosques in Mombasa

Residents of Majengo and Kisauni in Mombasa County yesterday avoided public places  as police continued in their hunt for radical youths.

At the same time, most Muslims heeded to the police order not to visit the controversial mosques for Friday prayers.

As noon approached, most parts of Mombasa town were isolated as crowds avoided the areas due to fear of violent confrontations with police.

Both Muslims and non-Muslims closed down their businesses and stayed indoors as police placed the two areas under lock-down with heavy security presence.

At some point during the day, there was a brief confrontation between some youths and police in Majengo, but the officers managed to contain the situation. 

There has been strong protests from local Muslim leaders in Mombasa following the closure of Musa, Sakina Mosques in Majengo and Swafaa and Mina Mosques in Kisauni.

A few days ago, police launched a major security operation targeting key mosques in Mombasa County. More than 600 General Service Unit, regular and Administration Police officers swarmed the area to flush out radical youths.

Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir condemned the move saying it was an attack on their religion, which was counterproductive in the fight against terrorism. He said such punitive measures was not the way to fight extremism.

“What the police is doing is like taking a cat and pushing it against the wall. If you do that, the cat will revolt,” Nassir said.

Speaking in Mombasa at the headquarters of human rights group Haki Africa, the leaders accused the government of fueling animosity between Muslims and the rest of society.

Kisauni MP Rashid Bedzimba claimed the government has torpedoed all peaceful methods to end the stalemate with radical Muslims through dialogue, and chosen violent tactics, which is worsening the problem.

“If you close mosques you invite the sympathy of those who are not with the militants,” said Bedzimba.

The chairman of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (Supkem) Prof Abdul-Ghafur al Busaidy warned that the high-handed tactics has serious consequences.

“By closing mosques you are giving these people the support of the Muslim community,” al Busaidy said.

But Mombasa police boss Robert Kitur dismissed these leaders saying they have failed to offer a viable solution to the problem. Kitur said they were aware of the extremism threat but are unwilling to face the problem head on.