National Cohesion and Integration Commission official defends raids on mosques

The Government should intensify the crackdown on mosques suspected to store weapons for suspected terror gangs in Mombasa, a cohesion agency official has said.

Commissioner Gitile Naituli of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) said those arrested in the mosques should be court marshalled instead of being arraigned in a civilian court.

"Once people take up arms against a Government and its people, they cease to be normal criminals. They should be treated as armed combatants and be court marshalled," said Prof Naituli.

Naituli defended the Government raids on Sakina, Musa and Swafaa mosques, saying the trend where Mombasa youths were planning to take over other mosques in the region was dangerous and needed to be nipped in the bud.

"The Government cannot watch as criminals use places of worship to stage attacks," said Naituli.

The commissioner said the Government needed to change tack in handling rising incidents of insecurity, especially as people were planning for the festive season.

In the past week, security forces have raided three mosques in Mombasa, arrested some youths and recovered assorted weapons.  However, leaders from the Coast region as well as Opposition leader Raila Odinga have criticised the raids, saying the Government must find another way to address insecurity.

Elsewhere, a group of religious leaders have urged the Government to address the rising insecurity. Led by the chairman of Likia Beyond Peace and Conflict Resolution group, Bishop Abraham Gitu, the clergy said more than 500 Kenyans had died at the hands of Al-Shabaab militants since the Westgate attack.

Speaking in Nakuru on Monday, the clerics said the Government should guarantee Kenyans their security.